Jannik Sinner equals stunning Roger Federer record after superb 2024 season

Shahida Jacobs 25 Nov 2024 7:15 AM

Pictured: Jannik Sinner and Roger Federer

Jannik Sinner has become only the second man in the Open Era to achieve a stunning feat.

World No 1 Sinner has joined Roger Federer as the only players since tennis went professional in 1968 to go an entire season without losing a singles match in straight sets.

Tennis great Federer set the milestone during his incredible 2005 season when he finished the year with an 81–4 win-loss record and now Sinner can equal that record if he wins his final match of the 2024 season on Sunday.

Sinner went into the Davis Cup final singles grubber against Tallon Griekspoor knowing that avoiding a straight sets defeat would see him achieve the feat.

He defeated the Dutchman 7-6 (7-2), 6-4 as Italy beat the Netherlands 2-0 to successfully defend their Davis Cup title.

Back in 2005, Federer’s four defeats were against Marat Safin (5-7, 6-4, 5-7, 7-6 (8-6), 9-7) in the semi-final of the Australian Open, against Richard Gasquet in the Monte Carlo Masters quarter-final (6-7 (1-7), 6-2, 7-6 (10-8)), Rafael Nadal in the French Open semi-final (6-3, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3) and against David Nalbandian in the Masters Cup final when he went down 6-7 (4-7), 6-7 (11-13), 6-2, 6-1, 7-6 (7-3).

Sinner finished the 2024 season with a 73-6 record with all six defeats going the distance with four coming in best-of-three-set matches and two at Grand Slams.

The Italian lost three matches against Carlos Alcaraz as he went down 1-6, 6-3, 6-2 in the Indian Wells Open semi-final, 2-6, 6-3, 3-6, 6-4, 6-3 in the semi-final at Roland Garros and 6-7 (6-7), 6-4, 7-6 (7-3) in the final of the China Open.

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His other three defeats have come against Stefanos Tsitsipas in the semi-final of the Monte Carlo Masters (6-4, 3-6, 6-4), against Daniil Medvedev in the Wimbledon last eight (6-7 (7-9), 6-4, 7-6 (7-4), 2-6, 6-3) and against Andrey Rublev in the quarter-final of the Canadian Open (6-3, 1-6, 6-2).

The 23-year-old Sinner has been the best player on the ATP Tour in 2024 as he won eight titles – including his maiden Grand Slam at the Australian Open as well as the US Open – and climbed to No 1 in the ATP Rankings for the first time in June.

He was confirmed as the year-end No 1 en route to winning the Shanghai Masters trophy while a few weeks later he won his first season-ending ATP Finals title on home soil in Turin.

Sinner also steered Italy to the Davis Cup title last year as he won his three singles matches and two doubles encounters.