by Gaia Piccardi
Jannik Sinner in Miami won the second Master 1000 title of his career by beating Dimitrov. Now he returns to Europe for the clay court season: and it is precisely on clay that the blue champion could become the first Italian king of world tennis. Also beating Djokovic
Miami, full stop. Three months spent at one hundred miles per hour across three continents (Australia, Europe, USA) gave world tennis the new number two in the ranking, a goal never achieved by any Italian tennis player in history (Nicola Pietrangeli’s ancient and controversial record also collapsed, credited with the number 3 position in the two-year period ’59-’60, the years of the two titles in Paris, when the ranking was drawn up, waiting for the invention of the computer in ’73, by a group of Anglo-Saxon journalists): after the Australian Open in January and the ATP 500 in Rotterdam in February, Jannik Sinner also won the Miami Open (6-3, 6-1 against the Bulgarian Dimitrov), the second Master 1000 title of his career, third of the season out of four tournaments played, bringing the of seasonal successes at 22 (only one defeat: in the Indian Wells semi-final with Carlos Alcaraz).
Sinner’s victories
since the second half of 2023 the red baron hasn’t missed a move on the tennis chessboard and the beginning of 2024 confirms the extraordinary progress of the 22-year-old from South Tyrol, who returns to Europe after the American swing (very tough test for body and mind: from Indian Wells in Miami the courts, the balls, the time zone, the climate change, it is no coincidence that only seven men – plus three women: Graf, Clijsters, Azarenka – managed to achieve the Sunshine Double: Federer, Djokovic, Courier, Chang , Sampras, Rios, Agassi) grew further.
Because it scares opponents, Djovokic included
Between California and Florida Jannik strengthened his status as a top player, increased the number of fans (Serena Williams, the giantess of sport, among them: I wish I had your forehand! she told him in Miami), beat for the fifth time in a row the n.4 Medvedev (last year he started from a deficit of 0-6), has added yet another milestone on a path that now scares his opponents, incapable of finding countermeasures to your tennis and forced to change coaches (Rune, Djokovic), desperately looking for solutions to counter him: If he continues like this, not only will he soon become number one, but he will remain so for a decade, said Sasha Zverev, eliminated in the semifinals in Miami by Dimitrov.
The beaten earth
Tennis, which waits for no one, inaugurates the outdoor season on clay on Sunday in Monte Carlo: Sinner arrives as number two in the world, therefore, having overtaken Alcaraz thanks to the success in Miami. Now, on the eve of the red card, only 65 points divide the Italian from the Spaniard (8710 against 8645), while Djokovic remains at the top clinging to his treasure (9725) but carries with him on the brick dust all the doubts generated by Melbourne (where was defeated in the semi-final by Sinner) onwards: the motivational crisis, culminating with the Kappa in Indian Wells against the excellent Luca Nardi, winner of the Naples challenger on Sunday, the choice to give up on Miami, the immediate dismissal of the super coach Goran Ivanisevic, peppered with alleged backstories of all kinds. The legitimate question, therefore, is: what kind of Djoker will we find on earth from Monte Carlo onwards?
Because Sinner doesn’t like clay
Confirming the fact that he is truly predestined – as we have been telling him since 24 February 2019, when he won the Bergamo Challenger at 17 years old (here is the first interview with Corriere della Sera) -, that is, the right man in the right place at the right time , Jannik Sinner could take advantage of Djoker’s Sunset Boulevard, which will turn 37 on May 22nd (there is also a registry to take into account), right on the surface he loves least: clay. In 2023 the Serbian was defeated in Monte Carlo by Musetti in the second round, by Lajovic in the quarterfinals in Banja Luka (Bosnia), in the semi-final by Rune in Rome, a knockout that forced him to abdicate in favor of Alcaraz. But, above all, in June Djoker defended his triumph at Roland Garros, a tournament from which Sinner exited prematurely (and painfully) with Altmaier. Jannik, on the other hand, after a launch on clay with the semi-final in Monte Carlo (beaten by Rune in a match that was almost won), has a withdrawal due to injury in Barcelona before the quarter-finals with Musetti, the round of 16 with Cerundolo in Rome and, as mentioned, the famous defeat against Altmaier in the second round of Paris (which Jannik was able to transform into a step of evolution by anticipating the return to the foot-up position in the serve, which he currently retains).
So Sinner could beat Djokovic
If Jannik played very well on clay and Djokovic badly (or very badly)
In short, there would be the possibility of eroding the Serbian’s 1015 points from the top of the rankings. The craziest scenario would be an overtaking after Paris (thanks to Roland Garros), with the possibility of showing up at Wimbledon with the treble in your pocket: first position in the world rankings, number one seed, role as big favorite at the All England Club But let’s rein in and rein in the horses. One step at a time. With the soles to be brushed often from the red earth.
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April 1, 2024 (modified April 1, 2024 | 12:11)
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