Jannik Sinner the third men’s world No 1 of “post-Big 3 era”

If ever there was an illustration of how things are changing men’s tennis, then it is the ascension of Jannik Sinner to the world No 1 ranking. The withdrawal of Novak Djokovic from the French Open on Tuesday due to a knee injury means that on Monday, Sinner will officially become the first Italian man and the 29th man in all to top the ATP rankings since their inception in 1973.

It’s the end of an incredible period of domination by the Big 3 of Djokovic, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal. With the exception of Andy Murray, who hit No 1 in 2016 and spent 41 weeks at the top – and briefly Carlos Alcaraz and Daniil Medvedev – no one has broken their stranglehold since Federer first became world No 1 in February 2004.

No 1 ranking was just a matter of time

It’s a proud moment for Sinner, and one that’s been coming. If it had not happened here, then it would surely have happened in the coming months. The Italian may have won his first Grand Slam title only recently, at the Australian Open, in January, but he’s been the best player in the world for several months now.

After losing in the fourth round at the US Open, Sinner won titles in Beijing and Vienna, reached the finals of the ATP Finals in Turin and then led his country to Davis Cup glory. He took that form into the start of this year, winning the Australian Open and following up by taking the title in Rotterdam, winning Miami for the loss of just one set and then reaching the semis in Monte-Carlo and quarters in Madrid. Had he not pulled out of Madrid through injury, and missed Rome, he might have got there already.

Already the highest-ranked Italian man in history, he’s now the first from his country ever to sit on top of the ATP rankings. While Adriana Panatta, Francesca Schiavone and Flavia Pennetta all won Grand Slam singles titles, none of them got close to being No 1. Sinner tops the lot.

“It means a lot, but I think it’s great for Italy,” Sinner said. “We are great country with great coaches and players, and we can see this now how this moment is. I’m happy to be part of this Italian movement. People, they start to play tennis now more and more, which is great to see. I think that’s the most important.

“If someone is No 1 or No 2 or No 10, everyone is trying their best. We have a lot of tournaments. We have junior tournaments and futures and challengers, and we have great tournaments, ATP tournaments, we have ATP Finals in Turin and Rome, and we had the Next Gen in Milan. It’s great to see this movement in Italy. I think Italy deserves it, no, because it’s a great country. We have everything. It’s good to be part of this movement.

The darren Cahill effect

The addition of Cahill to the team in June 2022 was a masterstroke. The Australian, a fine player himself, has been an even better coach, seemingly able to get the very best out of everyone he works with. He slotted in perfectly with Vagnozzi and is treated as an honorary Italian. Laid-back, Cahill is analytical and uses data to back up his eye, to outstanding effect.

“He had great achievements also with different players,” said Sinner, who often stresses how much he values Cahill as a person, as much as a coach. “He knows how to adapt to each player, and I think this is a quality what’s amazing, no?

“Him and also the combination with Simone is really, really good. They’re two different coaches, but they work together really well. They are very humble, and they respect each other very much. I think the combination is very good. I’m lucky to have both of them and all the rest of the team.”

dominance OF BIG 3 IS OVER

It’s arguable, of course, that Sinner was lucky to come through at a time when men’s tennis is in transition. With Federer retired, Nadal playing out the last stages of his career and now Djokovic, 37 and injured, after 428 weeks at the top, the door was open. But it takes a talent to knock that door open and Sinner had both the talent and work ethic to do it.

When he won the Australian Open in January, almost his first words in his press conference were about the future. Sinner said he needed to get better, to work harder, to keep improving. That’s the way champions speak. He wasn’t concerned with celebrating; he just wants to get to the top and stay there.

“I think I’ve learned a lot from the losses I had,” Sinner said. “I learned, and I had to accept to learn from myself, of my body language. I worked a lot on that. Then I had also US Open. I had a little switch after (the loss to) Sascha (Zverev). There are some moments where you have to realise what you have done wrong and sometimes it’s tough to accept, but this is the right way.

“I have very honest people around me, and they tell me only the truth. When it’s good, it’s good; when it’s bad, it’s bad. It’s part of the process. We will still keep working a lot. I know in my mind that I have to improve some things, so I’m just looking forward to become a better tennis player.”

And now, he has a great chance to do just that. While Alcaraz could rival him for Grand Slam titles in the coming years – and he already has two to his name – Sinner has a team around him who keep him grounded, if in fact he even needs help in that regard. In Vagnozzi and Cahill, he has wise heads. They are a family, who want the best for Sinner, who have experience to plot his best path.

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