By Richard Pagliaro | @Tennis_Now | Tuesday, June 4, 2024
Picture credit score: Corleve/Mark Peterson
Earlier than Jannik Sinner secured his semifinal spot, he scaled a large skilled peak.
Novak Djokovic withdrew from Roland Garros in the present day because of a torn medial meniscus in his proper knee.
The Grand Slam king’s departure ends his reign as Roland Garros champion and as world No. 1.
World No. 2 Sinner, who swept Grigor Dimitrov 6-2, 6-4, 7-6(3) to achieve his maiden French Open semifinal will supplant Djokovic as new world No. 1—and grow to be first Italian to carry the highest spot—when the brand new rankings are launched on Monday.
“What can I say? To begin with it’s each participant’s dream to grow to be No. 1 on this planet,” Sinner mentioned in his on-court interview with ATP afterward. “Within the different means, seeing Novak retiring right here I believe is disappointing. I want him a speedy restoration.”
Persevering with his season-long elevation, the 22-year-old Sinner mentioned he is thrilled to be new world No. 1 although he did not wish to notice his dream on Djokovic’s damage.
Whereas Sinner celebrates his rise to the highest of the world, he targets two objectives better than world No. 1: enhancing as an individual and as a participant to meet his prodigious potential.
“It represents an excellent results of work ethic,” Sinner advised Tennis Channel’s Jon Wertheim of his rise to the highest. “It was one in every of our objectives this 12 months, however crucial aim is to all the time enhance as a participant and as an individual, surrounding myself with nice individuals and that is it.
“I believe I might be very completely satisfied and happy with what I am doing and what my group is doing. Simply wanting ahead to semis for the time being. It isn’t, for certain, the best way I wished to grow to be No. 1 as Novak was retiring, however within the final interval I performed some actually good tennis. I am completely satisfied to be in that place. It is one thing new arising for me. It is one thing good, so I am very completely satisfied.”
Sinner would be the twenty ninth man to carry the world No. 1 rating because the introduction of the ATP rankings.
The 22-year-old Sinner will trip a 12-match main profitable streak into the semifinals in opposition to both Wimbledon winner Carlos Alcaraz or 2021 French Open finalist Stefanos Tsitsipas as Roland Garros is assured of a maiden males’s singles champion for the primary time since 2016 when Djokovic defeated Andy Murray in 4 units.
Australian Open champion Sinner improved to 33-2 in 2024, together with an 11-1 mark on clay.
Olympic gold-medal champion Alexander Zverev mentioned Sinner is now the sport’s gold commonplace and will reign as world No. 1 “for the following 10 years” if he can maintain the lofty stage he is delivered in 2024.
If he retains it like that, then he is not solely going to be No. 1 on this planet, he will be No. 1 on this planet for the following 10 years,” Zverev mentioned in Madrid final month. “Nevertheless it’s as much as him and it is also as much as me, as much as Carlos, as much as Daniil, as much as Novak as properly to cease him from doing that.
“In fact he is someone that we now in all probability look out for, you already know, one in every of two or three gamers that we glance out for essentially the most. We research him, we attempt to perceive his recreation, we attempt to perceive what could make him really feel uncomfortable. And we’ll see if we are able to use it.”
Sinner’s rise to the highest is one other milestone for achieved co-coach Darren Cahiill, who works alongside fellow co-coach Simone Vagnozzi, on Workforce Sinner.
Home of Gucci Ambassador Sinner is the fourth participant Cahill has coached to world No. 1 following Lleyton Hewitt, Andre Agassi and Simona Halep.
Picture credit score: Corleve/Mark Peterson
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