Jannik Sinner (22) is appearing at Wimbledon for the first time as a top-tier player in a Grand Slam and the South Tyrolean can put further distance between himself and his pursuers by winning his second trophy of the year.
After winning his first Grand Slam title at the Australian Open, Sinner became the first Italian to reach the top of men’s tennis since Novak Djokovic’s injury withdrawal in the quarter-finals of the French Open earlier this month.
Sinner, who was defeated by defending champion Carlos Alcaraz in the Roland Garros semi-finals, would have preferred to secure top spot in a different way, but the 22-year-old still took home triumphs in Rotterdam, Miami and Halle.
“It definitely means a lot to me. Being number one in the world means I had a fantastic year. Actually, an incredible year with a lot of successes and obviously I’m happy about that.”said Sinner, the 29th tennis player to become world number one.
“On the other hand, there are always tournaments. You have to play the biggest tournaments. It’s a huge privilege to be a part of it and I’m looking forward to the next challenges.”
Sinner’s serve and stamina have improved significantly since he started working with Darren Cahill and the Italian is able to give his best on both ends despite his slight frame.
He demonstrated these qualities once again by winning his first grass court title in Halle, which set him up for further success at the All England Club, although grass court conditions are likely to be very different in London.
With Alcaraz defeated in the second round by Jack Draper at the Queen’s Club last week and with seven-time champion Djokovic returning from knee surgery earlier this month, Sinner is determined to consolidate his position at the top.
“And the Everyone’s dream is to be in that position”, said Sinner, who reached the Wimbledon semifinals last year before losing to finalist Djokovic.
“Being number one in the world is an achievement that is built in a year. And now, obviously, we’ll see how long I can stay there, and then it will be another challenge.”
