It’s a cliché that comes up from time to time on social networks. We see a very young Sinner, 12 years old and as proud as Artaban to be photographed with his idol Novak Djokovic, then already a multiple Grand Slam winner. All smiles for the pose, the Serb would undoubtedly have been less nice if he had known about the monster copycat what would become of the Italian giant.
Sinner author of an almost perfect season
Sinner, under threat of suspension for having tested positive for a steroid, confirmed his superiority in recent months over the Serb. It was their fourth victory in their last five duels, and the second of the season after the semi-final of the Australian Open in January. In Melbourne, Sinner, 23, won his first Grand Slam trophy. Since then, he has established himself as one of the two leaders of the young generation, with Carlos Alcaraz, also winning the US Open (in September) and now three Masters 1000 after Miami in the spring and Cincinnati this summer.
He is the first player to win three of these events in the same season, the most prestigious on the circuit after the Grand Slams, since Rafael Nadal in 2018. All categories combined, his title in Shanghai is the seventh in a year that he will finish at the top of the ATP rankings no matter what.
However, this ascent does not take place in a cloudless sky. The Italian’s horizon is even seriously darkened by the specter of a suspension for doping. Testing positive for a steroid in March, he was initially cleared by the International Agency for Tennis Integrity (Itia) which accepted his explanation according to which he was accidentally contaminated by a member of his team.
But the case had a twist last month when the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), not convinced by his argument, appealed and requested a one to two year suspension.
Djokovic, the year of the transfer of power
While awaiting the CAS verdict, Sinner was of exemplary mental strength in important moments, particularly the tie-break of the first set. In a rigorous style which does not seek to show off – very much that of Djokovic of the great years – he remained untouchable on his service games (no break point to save throughout the match) and made the break himself as soon as the opportunity arose in the second set to lead 3-1.
For Djokovic, the year 2024 looks more and more like that of the transfer of power with Sinner and Alcaraz, even if it will remain for him, above all, that of his success in the final of the Olympic Games (against the Spaniard). The Serbian, 37, has not yet won any tournament on the usual ATP circuit, for the first time since 2006.
