During a stunning run of form in the European summer, Carlos Alcaraz appeared to be the king of tennis when he won the French Open and Wimbledon, but Jannik Sinner declared himself the real monarch of the men’s game in 2024.
Although Sinner and Alcaraz shared the Grand Slam championships, it is obvious that when Sinner is healthy and performing at his peak, he is in a class by himself.
Sinner’s anti-doping issue, in which he avoided a penalty despite testing positive twice in March, cast a shadow over him going into the US Open.
Many said Sinner was lucky to be able to continue competing as he appealed his failing doping tests, but he defeated Taylor Fritz 6-3, 6-4, 7-5 to win the first tournament since his positive test results were made public.
Alcaraz should be pleased with his victories at Wimbledon and the French Open, but Sinner’s skill was on full display as he methodically defeated Fritz.
Sinner remarked, “This title means so much to me because the last phase of my career was not easy.”
“Every day, my friends and family have encouraged and supported me,”
“I’m a huge tennis fan. I put a lot of practice into this kind of stage.
I proceeded day by day. The most crucial thing is to have faith in yourself. I became aware of how crucial mental toughness is to sports, particularly during this competition.
“I’m thrilled and honoured to be here with my team at this special time. I had a great time playing in this venue.
“This year has been extraordinary. Many significant victories, beginning in Australia, have boosted my confidence up to this point.
“Work never stops.” I am aware that I can do better. I am eager to continue my process.
Why does the story’s headline state that Sinner’s victory at the US Open proves she will win the 2024 tennis season before Alcaraz?
Let’s examine the situation that was engulfing Sinner at the time of Alcaraz’s Wimbledon and French Open victories.
First of all, the Italian was dealing with hip pain that he suffered during Alcaraz’s victory over Sinner at Indian Wells in March. The issue persisted when he was defeated by the Spaniard at the French Open.
Sinner’s dreams of capturing his first Wimbledon championship were dashed by illness; at the All England Club, he was defeated by Daniil Medvedev despite nearly retiring from the match.
Regardless of your opinion on the matter, there is no doubt that the trauma of his positive drug test results during that time had a significant influence on his mental state. As we now know, he was also dealing with that trauma.
Though he was waiting to find out if his drug test controversy would end his tennis career forever, he won the Cincinnati Masters despite missing the Olympic Games due to illness and his hip healing.
Sinner faced criticism from past players and media experts during the US Open after he began the tournament by raising a flurry of concerns over the doping scandal. Many of them questioned whether Sinner, as the top player in the world, was given preferential treatment.
Despite all of this pessimism, Sinner not only prevailed in the US Open but did so in spectacular fashion.
His victories over Fritz in the championship match and Jack Draper of Britain in the semifinals validated his superiority; he has an amazing 35-2 record on hard courts this year.
Tennis is lucky to have two new champions to replace Roger Federer: Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic. This should ensure that the sport has a fresh rivalry to continue its legacy. Additionally, we have new champions in Sinner and Alcaraz.
Men’s tennis might be dominated by Sinner and Alcaraz for 10 years if they are fully recovered, and we can all look forward to seeing these two exciting champions square off in the matches that run.
