After Jannik Sinner’s maiden Grand Slam at this year’s Australian Open, I questioned whether there was, at last, a new generation replacing the legendary Federer-Nadal-Djokovic axis of invincibility, consisting of not only the Italian but also Carlos Alcaraz. Sinner’s form has surprised even his greatest admirers, though.
Despite the five-set Australian Open final against Medvedev, it was a dominant tournament for Sinner, not dropping a set until the final, and demolishing Djokovic en-route. He has subsequently won Rotterdam, lost the semi-finals at Indian Wells to Alcaraz, and produced an otherworldly level to destroy the field at the Miami Open.
If the Australian Open final against Medvedev was a tight affair, Miami’s semi-final between the pair was a cruise. Sinner won 6-4, 6-2, with his serve, forehand and backhand all nigh on perfect throughout the two sets.
The final saw more of the same. Sinner’s opponent was the dangerous Grigor Dimitrov. While his career has been inconsistent, and never really reached the heights his potential might have warranted, he has extraordinary gifts. A veritable mini-Federer, with elegance and an ethereal touch at the net. With more luck, consistency, and in an easier generation, he could easily have won multiple Grand Slams. He destroyed Alcaraz in straight sets in the quarters, so clearly also a man in form.
There was little evidence of this in Sunday’s final against Sinner, however. The Italian was once again quite untouchable, winning 6-3, 6-1. According to the ATP’s performance rating, Sinner produced the best display of any player so far this season with a 9.63/10, and while I’m as sceptical of this as anyone, it’s perhaps telling that the top three performances of the season have all come from the same man.
He has now risen to number two in the World, and it appears an inevitability that the number one spot will be his at some point. But frankly the way things are going, the rankings will not worry him one bit. He has won three out of the four tournaments he has entered so far this season, including a Grand Slam and now a Masters 1000 event, and his level is that of a genuine great. Not only that but he is producing that high standard with such regularity that, at this point in time, he must surely be considered the world’s best, regardless of ranking.
“Jannik Sinner” by geminder is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0