MELBOURNE – Jannik Sinner was not about to announce the end of the “Big Three” after his breakthrough Grand Slam triumph at the Australian Open, but the 22-year-old Italian does believe tennis needs a fresh generation of champions.
His five-set victory over Daniil Medvedev on Jan 28 made him the first Melbourne Park winner in 10 years not named Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal or Roger Federer – the trio of multiple champions who have dominated tennis for two decades.
Djokovic’s incredible success into his mid-30s has delayed the decline of the “Big Three” but with Federer now retired and Nadal looking set to join him in 2024, a huge gap is opening up at the top of the game.
With his Melbourne triumph, Sinner has joined 20-year-old Carlos Alcaraz in the Grand Slam winners’ club, spearheading a clutch of players of a similar age coming through.
“It’s quite unpredictable what’s coming in the future but still it’s nice to be part of this generation,” Sinner said as he posed with his trophy at Melbourne’s Royal Botanic Gardens on Jan 29.
“I think the next generation is something that this sport needs and it’s also a little bit of a game changer... There is always pressure, but the pressure is something good. You have to take it in a good way. It’s a privilege, no?
“So yes, I like to dance in the pressure storm. Personally I like it, because that’s where most of the time I bring out my best tennis. I’m also quite relaxed in this occasion, because I always try to enjoy being on the court.”
Sinner is the youngest Australian Open men’s champion since Djokovic won the first of his 10 Melbourne Park titles in 2008 at the age of 20, and even though he beat the 24-time Grand Slam champion in the semi-finals, the Italian was not inviting comparisons.
“He is a different league,” he said. “I’m just happy I have this trophy for this year and then we see what’s coming. There is still a lot of work to do, but I will enjoy my process and then we see what I can achieve in the future.”
As impressive as the clean hitting that has taken Sinner into the elite of men’s tennis was his cool demeanour on court, as he withstood an early barrage from Medvedev before rallying from two sets down to clinch the title.
Although he fell to the Rod Laver Arena court after converting the championship point, there was no huge outpouring of emotion as Sinner celebrated the biggest victory of his career.
“There were so many emotions in my head and the hard work and the sacrifices I’ve done throughout my career,” he explained.
“Sharing this moment with my team was maybe the best feeling I’ve had until now. It’s great emotions, I was just happy. Yesterday I still maybe couldn’t believe and now I’m starting to realise it, so it’s a great feeling.”
Sinner said he celebrated his victory in understated fashion – a meal with his close-knit team – but said it would be straight back to work as he looked to build on his breakthrough.
“Obviously, winning the tournament is something unbelievable,” he said. “I’m really happy how I performed here and let’s see what’s coming in the future.”
His coach Darren Cahill insists what will not be on the horizon is a drop-off, saying: “I’m sure after this sinks in, he won’t settle. He’ll never settle. He wants to get better.”
Cahill added that Sinner is “chasing” Alcaraz.
He said: “Carlos has trailblazed for a lot of young players. We’re thankful for that. He’s a delight to watch play and a delight to watch him on court.
“We aspire to be as good as him and hopefully one day be better than him, but at the moment, we’re chasing Carlos, and we’ll continue to do that.” REUTERS, AFP
