Jannik Sinner compared to Novak Djokovic by former British No 1 after ATP Finals win
Former British No 1 Tim Henman believes Jannik Sinner sent out a big message to the rest of the men’s game with his dominant win at the ATP Finals.
Sinner’s sensational 2024 is reaching a thrilling conclusion after his 6-4, 6-4 victory over Taylor Fritz as he took his record to 26 wins from his last 27 matches.
That run that included his second Grand Slam title of the year at the US Open, two Masters 1000 trophies and now the ATP Finals, with the clinical nature of his displays allowing the Italian to build an aura on court this year.
Sinner has been utterly dominant in Turin, winning all his five matches without dropping a set – the first man to do so since Ivan Lendl in 1986 – and he becomes the first Italian champion.
“It’s amazing, it’s my first title in Italy and it means so much to me,” said Sinner, who lost in the final 12 months ago to Novak Djokovic. “It’s something very special. It was a very high-level tournament from my side. At times I couldn’t have played better, so I am very happy.”
He had already beaten Fritz in the group stage and, despite another competitive encounter, it was the Italian who again came out on top in the decisive moments and Henman was gushing in his praise for Sinner.
“From start to finish there’s been no lapses,” Henman told Sky Sports Tennis.
“In Australia he took his first Grand Slam title and then he’s kept building. He’s kept getting better and better and the confidence from that on every surface.
“The huge challenges he’s faced with the positive drugs test and then to round it off at home having already secured the No 1 ranking, but to play these five matches against the other top seven players in the world having not dropped more than four games in a set – it’s a statement to the rest of the men’s tour.”
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Former British No 1 Laura Robson also poured praise on Sinner, as she suggested the lack of surprise around his way was evidence of his status in the men’s game.
“It was unsurprising he won considering how well he’s played all week, how he’s played all year, when you think back to Australia,” said Robson.
“That gave him the belief that he could do it at a Grand Slam and from then on it was just outrageous tennis.
“Novak Djokovic is probably the only player we’ve seen have a season like this where you look just unbeatable where players look lost against you, where they feel like they’ve got to overplay and they get so few chances in a match. It’s so impressive because he doesn’t have the dips.”
After winning in Turin, Sinner became only the third player in the Open Era to win the Australian, US Open and ATP Finals in a season after Roger Federer (2004, 06-07) and Novak Djokovic (2015, 23).
Sinner is youngest of the three to achieve the feat and win his dominance in Turin so complete, he will head into the 2025 season as the man to beat on the men’s tour.
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