22-year-old Italian sensation Jannik Sinner is set to become the men’s tennis world No. 1 when the PIF ATP rankings are updated on Monday, 10th June.
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Sinner defeated Grigor Dimitrov 6-2, 6-4, 7-6 (7-3) to qualify for the semi-finals of Roland-Garros and guarantee the No. 1 spot after incumbent No. 1 Novak Djokovic had withdrawn from the tournament. Sinner will be the first Italian and just the 29th player ever to occupy the top spot.
Djokovic’s Withdrawal Crowned the New No. 1
Jannik Sinner had come to Roland-Garros neck-to-neck in the points rankings with Novak Djokovic. The Italian needed to outlast Djokovic or reach at least the semi-finals to secure the top rank, while the legendary Serbian needed to reach the final to hold off the youngster.
Djokovic withdrew ahead of his quarterfinal match against Casper Ruud, after injuring the meniscus of his right knee in his fourth-round match against No. 23 seed Francisco Cerundolo, handing the top rank over to Sinner. Djokovic has occupied the No. 1 position for a record 429 weeks.
Sinner’s Reaction
Sinner learnt of his achievement in a post-match interview after his quarterfinal victory when we was told that he would become the world No.1 on Monday, which drew a standing ovation from the crowd on Court Philippe Chatrier.
The young Italian was humble and gracious in expressing his disappointment at Djokovic’s withdrawal and wished him a speedy recovery. He was nonetheless delighted with his achievement and was clearly relishing his historic moment.
“What can I say? First of all, it is everyone’s dream to become No.1 in the world. It is a special moment for me and I am very happy to be sharing this all with you guys, all the guys who are watching from home, especially from Italy.”
Rise to the Top
The remarkable achievement comes on the heels of his remarkable run in 2024, which has included his maiden Grand Slam title at the Australian Open, as well as triumphs at the ATP Masters 1000 events in Miami and Toronto.
Sinner’s ascent to the top has been guided by the experienced coaching of Darren Cahill and Simone Vagnozzi, who were jointly named ATP Coaches of the Year in 2023. Cahill has now successfully helped four different players – Lleyton Hewitt, Andre Agassi and Simona Halep before Sinner – reach the world No. 1 position. Cahill’s wealth of experience and impeccable ability to nurture top talent have been instrumental in moulding Sinner into the dominant force he is today.
With his blend of power, athleticism, and growing experience, Sinner appears poised to make the most of his time at the top of the men’s game, further cementing his status as a burgeoning tennis superstar.
Targeting Roland-Garros Glory
Sinner has continued to improve throughout the rounds at the French Open, establishing himself as one of the top title contenders. With a 33-2 record this year, and an unbeaten streak of 12 matches at Grand Slam tournaments after his Australian Open title and semi-final run in Paris, Sinner remains a formidable force.
In the semi-final, he will reignite his rivalry with another former World No. 1 in young Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz, the third seed, who rolled past Stefanos Tsitsipas, the ninth seed, 6-3, 7-6 (3), 6-4 on Tuesday night. The winner of this enormous semi-final on Friday afternoon will be heavily favoured to claim their first Roland-Garros title.
