Jannik Sinner arrived in Shanghai just after losing the final of the Beijing tournament to his huge rival Carlos Alcaraz, in one of the most spectacular matches of the year. This rivalry is exciting fans and professionals, who see in these two young champions the same stigmas of the Big 3.
The Italian ace can be really satisfied with his season, in which he has consecrated himself as a champion of the highest level. The 23-year-old from San Candido has lost only six matches in all of 2024, he won the Australian Open and the US Open, as well as winning the Masters 1000 in Miami and Cincinnati.
Jannik Sinner, Beijing 2024© Stream screenshot
The incredible level offered by Jannik this year is evidenced by the large margin that separates him from his opponents in the ATP ranking. The two-time Grand Slam champion – who is almost certain to finish 2024 at the top of the ATP ranking – wants to win more titles in the next month and a half.
Sinner confided that his main objective is the Nitto ATP Finals in Turin, where he last year surrendered to 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic in the final. Unlike the past years, the world number 1 has decided to skip the ATP 500 in Vienna to save energy for the highlights of his schedule.
A very high level
Sinner has played at a very high level in recent months despite having to face a long trial related to the doping case that concerned him. ITIA has declared him innocent before the start of the US Open, but WADA recently decided to appeal against the acquittal.
Jannik Sinner, Beijing 2024© Stream screenshot
His debut in Shanghai against Taro Daniel will be in the next few hours but Jannik Sinner is ready and loaded for the next tournament. The Italian does not seem to suffer from the case Wada and indeed even in Beijing has shown for some traits its best tennis. In the final he surrendered to his rival friend Carlos Alcaraz and the two arrived together in Shanghai, starting with the same plane with their respective teams. This highlights a particular relationship that we rarely see on tennis courts.
Jannik spoke about this friendship and rivalry at the press conference before the Shanghai tournament and made the following statements: “As people off the court we are quite similar in character and so it is very easy for us. We are different on the court but it is our nature. Outside the court I listen to him, he is very close to people who are close to him and this is the same for me.
We live in a normal way and on the court of course we try to fight each other, it was a great fight, in general as always. He pushes me to do better, this is definitely something good, the season is about to end and at the end I will train to improve and try to beat him. But outside the field we are quite similar”.
Analyzing the final in Beijing, Sinner then explained: “The loss at the tiebreak? Are things that can happen, you can win as lose in the third tiebreak, sometimes I win him sometimes. I had a chance in the third set but he could win in the first and I won it. In the second set I had some balls break on 4 to 3 and sometimes also on 5 to 4, in the decisive tiebreak I was ahead but he made some great shots and I think it was a really great game.”
Sinner did nothing wrong
Mats Wilander, on the Eurosport microphones, defended Jannik Sinner in the Clostebol case. The former Swedish tennis player believes that the Italian ace is innocent and that the appeal of the WADA only highlights the confusion that can sometimes be created due to the existence of several bodies that govern this important sector.
Jannik Sinner, Beijing 2024© Stream screenshot
Wilander first praised the world number one for the way he handled the affair in the US, where he won both the Cincinnati Masters 1000 and the US Open. “He handled this situation, in my opinion, in the best possible way. It’s amazing that he won the US Open in this condition. He is incredibly mature. My opinion on the whole matter is that human beings are not perfect. We are imperfect”, explained Wilander.
“I think Sinner is completely innocent. He did nothing wrong. There should be better rules and guidelines and fewer people involved. But perfection does not exist. Players must commit themselves, together with their teams, to test every supplement, every vitamin. It would be extremely serious if it were suspended. Because I think what Sinner did was to admit in a way that there was a mistake on his team. He’s not saying that he made a mistake, but it happened”.