History has been written: Jannik Sinner will be the new world number one. A goal that no Italian tennis player has ever managed to reach and which will become official from Monday 10 June, when the new world rankings will be released. Sinner’s record became mathematical just as the South Tyrolean was on the field in his quarter-final match against Grigor Dimitrov, given that a few minutes ago the Roland Garros organizers issued a statement with Novak Djokovic’s decision to withdraw from the Parisian Slam.
It was impossible for the world number one to continue the tournament due to the knee injury suffered in yesterday’s incredible match against Francisco Cerundolo, in which the Belgrade native was the protagonist of a sensational victory in the fifth set.
“Due to a meniscus tear highlighted by the MRI performed on Tuesday, Djokovic is forced to withdraw”. So says the statement and Casper Ruud can also benefit from the affair, as he qualified for the Roland Garros semi-final without playing.
Djokovic should have at least reached the final to try to counter Sinner’s imminent overtaking. From Monday Jannik will become the twenty-ninth tennis player in history to reach the top step of the ranking since 1973the year from which the world ranking is drawn up with the points system by computer.
A historic and memorable day for Italian tennis. Jannik Sinner wrote one of the greatest feats for our sport, reaching a goal that seemed truly unthinkable before the arrival of the South Tyrolean. An objective that the native of San Candido has always had and which he has built in these memorable years, which also saw him win his first Slam in Australia in January.
