Thud-thud, thud-thud…’—that’s the symphony a tennis rally creates. When Jannik Sinner is at one end, it transforms into heavy metal music: ‘thud-BANG, thud-BANG,’ before he abruptly cuts it short with a piercing winner. It’s as if the drumstick hits the cymbal with full force, the sound echoing. Sinner remains emotionless throughout, going about his business in a quiet, “win or lose a point, I won’t show anyone how I feel” manner. For some, it’s dull; for others, it’s upright—reminiscent of Pete Sampras. His game, however, is as explosive and intense as his demeanour is not.
With his latest Australian Open win and third Grand Slam title, Sinner has once again proved he is the man to beat on the men’s tour. “He’s just too good; it’s as simple as that,” his opponent in the final, Alexander Zverev, remarked during the post-match ceremony. Sinner’s game now combines Novak Djokovic-like consistency in shot placement and depth with exceptional power on both wings. Last year, he led the tour in both forehand and backhand shot quality.
In his book Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World, American journalist David Epstein cites Roger Federer as an example of an athlete who dabbled in multiple sports before specialising relatively late, yet achieved excellence. Sinner fits this mold. He was as invested in skiing as he was in tennis during his youth and didn’t specialise in tennis until his early teens. This late start might explain why, despite his talent, it took him a few years to firmly establish himself as a top-three player on the tour.
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A Djokovic–like ascent
Tennis fans watched with great curiosity when Sinner burst onto the scene, winning the 2019 Next Gen ATP Finals and, in 2020, becoming the first debutant to reach the Roland Garros quarterfinals since Rafael Nadal in 2005. At some level, the hype of a rising star felt real. But by then, this narrative had played out several times before. Players born between 1991 and 2000 had disappointed greatly. While those born between 1981 and 1990 claimed 77 Grand Slam singles titles, the following decade produced just two champions (Dominic Thiem and Daniil Medvedev, with one title each).
With Sinner’s arrival, there was renewed hope for players born in the 2000s. Yet, after a promising start, Sinner also stuttered, continuing the pattern of being there but not there yet. Meanwhile, Carlos Alcaraz emerged, bypassing the phase of showing promise; he simply announced greatness. For nearly three years (2021–23), Sinner took a back seat, challenging Alcaraz in iconic matches that hinted at his potential but never fully stamping his authority.
Since late 2023, however, Sinner’s transformation has defied expectations, reminiscent of Novak Djokovic’s rise more than a decade ago. In late 2010, Djokovic helped Serbia to a Davis Cup victory and emerged a changed player. His 2011 season was remarkable: a 70-6 win-loss record, three Grand Slam titles, 10 overall titles, and the year-end No. 1 ranking. Suddenly, Djokovic was no longer the promising talent destined to live in the shadow of the more talked-about Spanish youngster Rafael Nadal—he was Nadal’s equal.
Sinner’s ascent has similar shades. In late 2023, he was instrumental in Italy’s Davis Cup triumph. By 2024, he had turned a corner, finishing the year with a 73-6 record, two Grand Slam titles, eight overall titles, and the year-end No. 1 ranking. Like Djokovic, he too has emerged as an equal to the more celebrated Spanish prodigy—Carlos Alcaraz.
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A burgeoning rivalry
Even before Sinner established himself as an all-conquering champion, he consistently held his own against Alcaraz. Their head-to-head currently stands at 6-4 in Alcaraz’s favour. Interestingly, before Sinner’s breakout 2024 season, it was he who led their rivalry. However, during Sinner’s incredible 2024 season, he lost all three closely fought matches against Alcaraz. He did win their encounter at the Six Kings Slam in Riyadh at the end of 2024, though that match carried no official recognition.
As a burgeoning rivalry, Sincaraz is as good as it gets, a worthy successor to the Big Three rivalry. While they have yet to meet in a Grand Slam final, two of their three Grand Slam encounters have gone to five sets, and four of their seven non-Slam matches have gone the distance. Their Beijing match in 2024 was one of the year’s best. A Grand Slam final showdown between them seems inevitable and highly anticipated.
As is often the case, the contrast in their personalities makes the rivalry doubly exciting. And it’s not the typical hot-headed versus composed dynamic. Alcaraz wears his heart on his sleeve, endearing himself to audiences with his ear-to-ear grin and sheepish charm.
Sinner, on the other hand, largely keeps his heart locked in a vault with an air of indifference. He rarely throws a tantrum or misbehaves, always giving the vibe of the ever-obedient and disciplined student. He is often so locked-in that it becomes difficult to connect with him at a visceral level. In a way, Sinner embodies the spirit of his hometown, Sexten in South Tyrol, Italy—cold and distant but calm, serene, and quietly likeable.
Also read: Carlos Alcaraz embodies best of ‘Roger, Rafa, and me’, says Djokovic after Wimbledon defeat
A quagmire amid celebration
As Sinner celebrates his latest Australian Open triumph, a lot must be weighing on his mind. In August 2024, the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) revealed that Sinner had tested positive for a banned substance in March of that year. Though provisionally suspended, he was later absolved by an independent tribunal, which accepted his claim that the substance had entered his system unintentionally during a massage from his physiotherapist. The tribunal concluded that “the minute amounts likely to have been administered would not have had any relevant doping, or performance enhancing, effect upon the player.”
The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), however, disagreed with the tribunal’s decision and filed an appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), seeking a one-to-two-year ban. The CAS hearing is scheduled for 16-17 April 2025.
The verdict could have huge implications for Sinner’s career. A ‘period of ineligibility’ will put him out of action when he is in the form of his life. It will deprive fans of thrilling Sincaraz matches and may also put an asterisk in his legacy. At the same time, it could fuel Sinner’s steely resolve and make him an even greater threat on the court.
The writer works with a leading global consulting firm. He tweets @mishraachyut. Views are personal.
(Edited by Prashant)