Jannik Sinner has had a meteoric rise to fame in 2023. The Italian has been performing at his level best, enthralling crowds worldwide. Sinner’s results are surely a shot in the arm for a country looking for a male tennis icon for decades now.
Sinner has created records which will be tough to break for his Italian compatriots and even other youngsters on the Tour going ahead. The World No.4 has benefitted tremendously from being coached by the legendary Darren Cahill, who has mentored Grand Slam champions in the past. Considering the second half of 2023, the 22-year-old had a memorable one featuring the Rogers Cup, Beijing Open, Vienna Open, ATP Finals 2023 and the Davis Cup. Here are 3 such records –
Jannik Sinner attracted whopping 6.6 million viewers on Italian broadcast in ATP Finals 2023
Jannik Sinner made it to the final match of the ATP Finals 2023 on home soil in Turin 9 days ago. Sinner is clearly a crowd favorite, with perhaps no other Italian player before him getting so much support. The icing on the cake was to see their hero unbeaten for 4 matches, which included a massive win over Novak Djokovic in the round-robin stage.
The young Italian star also beat World No.3 Daniil Medvedev on his way to the showdown clash. Although Sinner lost to Djokovic in the finale, that match generated huge viewership. The final was televised by Sky and RAI in Italy and attracted an incredible 6.6 million viewers —the highest for any tennis tournament in Italy so far. Perhaps, Djokovic’s presence in the final is another reason for such stunning numbers.
According to RAI, the ATP Finals 2023 final between Jannik Sinner and Novak Djokovic, attracted nearly 500,000 spectators (5 million and 493 thousand) and achieved an amazing 29.5% market share. Compared to the Rome Masters 2023 final earlier in 2023, the rise in viewership for the ATP Finals in Italy is extraordinary.
Jannik Sinner powered Italy to first Davis Cup win in 21st century
Jannik Sinner has given fresh hope to Italian tennis again. Passionate Italian fans flocked to Malaga in Spain recently to support Sinner after years of under-par performances by their men’s players in the Davis Cup. The Italian team of 2023 featured some good players like Jannik Sinner, Lorenzo Musetti, Matteo Arnaldi, Lorenzo Sonego and Simone Bolelli.
And they lived to expectations when it mattered the most. Jannik Sinner was criticised heavily for skipping the Davis Cup Round of 16 a few months ago. But the move worked as Sinner was recharged to play in the Final 8, semifinals and the final matches respectively. Remarkably, the youngster also played doubles and found success in it.
Powering Italy to a Davis Cup title triumph, Jannik Sinner defeated the World No.1, Novak Djokovic in the men’s singles semifinal match in 3 sets. Sinner hit back in style after losing to him in the ATP Finals final match, saving 3 match points in the process too. In the finals, the Italian defeated Australia’s Alex de Minaur, which was another vital victory for his country.
This was the first time in 47 years Italy won the Davis Cup. The last time they did so was in 1976, making it their first win in the 21st century. Next year too, if Sinner plays and assuming Matteo Berrettini returns, Italy definitely would start as favorites to defend their title successfully.
Sinner clinched best-ever ranking by an Italian without a Grand Slam win
Jannik Sinner will end 2023 as the World No.4. Co-incidentally, Sinner also won 4 ATP titles in the calendar year, matching his achievement from 2021. Overall, the 22-year-old has bagged 10 ATP titles in his career so far.
Once again, like in 1976, Italy’s hero, Adriano Pannatta had not only powered them to a Davis Cup win but also ended up as the World No.4 in the ATP year-end rankings. So Jannik Sinner matched this incredible feat.
However, the only difference is that Pannatta had won the French Open title. While Sinner is yet to win a Grand Slam. With Sinner being younger too than Pannatta at the same stage, his consistency has shone in ATP titles at least.
Jannik Sinner broke 2 massive Novak Djokovic streaks within 2 weeks
Jannik Sinner became only the third player in history after Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray to defeat Novak Djokovic twice in a singles match in a span of two weeks. However, what is even more remarkable is that Sinner is also the third player after his young competitor, Carlos Alcaraz and the great Roger Federer to break two Novak Djokovic streaks that has spanned 15 matches or more.
Roger Federer did so first in 2011 (43-match winning streak of Djokovic at French Open semifinals) and then in 2015 (28-match winning streak on Chinese soil in Shanghai Masters semifinals). Carlos Alcaraz followed it up at the Wimbledon 2023 final (breaking Djokovic’s 34-match streak at Wimbledon and 27-match Grand Slam matches streak in just one match).
Jannik Sinner ended Novak Djokovic’s 19-match winning streak in Turin at the ATP Finals and his 21-match Davis Cup men’s singles winning streak that started in 2012. No Italian player has had such a peak in men’s singles tennis ever, making Jannik Sinner a favorite to succeed Pannatta as a men’s singles Grand Slam winner from the country in 2024.
