Jannik Sinner won two Grand Slams and eight ATP titles in the 2024 season, but only one of them came outside of hard courts.
Jannik Sinner (Image via X)
Italian tennis commentator Guido Monaco has long been a fan of his compatriot and World No. 1 Jannik Sinner. However, he has highlighted a key gap in Sinner’s career achievements so far.
Monaco, who also played on the ATP Tour for Italy, believes that the two-time Grand Slam champion needs to prove his strength on clay, similar to his rival Carlos Alcaraz. Alcaraz claimed his first Roland Garros title in 2024 by defeating Alexander Zverev in a five-set thriller.
In fact, Alcaraz was the only player in 2024 to win a Masters 1000 or Grand Slam title on all surfaces. The 21-year-old triumphed at Indian Wells (hard court), Roland Garros (clay), and Wimbledon (grass).
Sinner, meanwhile, excelled on hard courts, winning the Australian Open, US Open, and ATP Finals. His only non-hard court title came at Halle, a grass-court warm-up for Wimbledon. However, he struggled on clay, losing to Alcaraz in the Roland Garros semifinals after an inconsistent clay season. He also lost to Daniil Medvedev in the Wimbledon quarterfinals.
As the 2025 ATP Tour season begins, all eyes are on Jannik Sinner and his dominance at the top of the PIF ATP Rankings. Meanwhile, Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz are also aiming for their own historic achievements.
Sinner heads into 2025 as the player to beat. Last year, he won eight titles and lost only six matches, making him the first Italian in history to reach World No. 1 in the PIF ATP Rankings. The 23-year-old is on a 14-match winning streak and has 2,500 points to defend early in the season as he looks to retain his Australian Open and Rotterdam titles.
Sinner also carries confidence from his first Nitto ATP Finals victory and his year-end No. 1 finish in 2024. On the other hand, Djokovic has his sights set on becoming the third player in the Open Era to win 100 career titles, joining Jimmy Connors and Roger Federer. Djokovic’s lone title in 2024 came at the Paris Olympics, a significant moment for him.
Now 38 years old, Djokovic has added Andy Murray to his coaching team. This partnership adds intrigue as Djokovic starts his season in Brisbane and then moves to Melbourne Park, where he holds a record 10 Australian Open titles.
