Tennis Needs Next Generation, Says Australian Open Champion Sinner
Newly crowned Australian Open champion, Jannik Sinner, has declared it’s time for tennis to embrace its future as the Italian believes the sport needs the energy and fresh perspective of a new generation of champions to flourish.
Sinners five-set victory against Daniil Medvedev on Sunday made him the first Australian Open winner in 10 years not named Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal or Roger Federer, the trio of multiple champions who have dominated tennis for two decades.
Sublime from Sinner 🥕
The Italian 🇮🇹 clinches his maiden Grand Slam title 🏆
He triumphs in five hardfought sets 3-6 3-6 6-4 6-4 6-3 to win #AO2024. @janniksin • @wwos • @espn • @eurosport • @wowowtennis pic.twitter.com/DTCIqWoUoR
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 28, 2024
Djokovic’s incredible success into his mid-thirties has delayed the decline of the “Big Three”, but with Federer now retired and Nadal looking set to join him this year, a huge gap is opening up at the top of the game.
With his Melbourne triumph, 22-year-old Sinner has joined 20-year-old Carlos Alcaraz in the Grand Slam winners’ club, spearheading a clutch of players of a similar age coming through.
The man of the moment @janniksin🏆
@VisitMelbourne #AO2024 pic.twitter.com/2Y0NI6jGQV
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 29, 2024
“It’s quite unpredictable what’s coming in the future but still it’s nice to be part of this generation,” Sinner said as he was photographed with his trophy in Melbourne’s Botanical Gardens on Monday.
“I think the next generation is something that this sport needs and it’s also a little bit of a game-changer.”
Sinner was the youngest Australian Open men’s champion since Djokovic won the first of his 10 Melbourne Park titles in 2008 and even though he beat the 24-time Grand Slam champion in the semi-finals, the Italian was not inviting comparisons.
“He (Djokovic) is a different league,” Sinner added. “I’m just happy I have this trophy for this year and then we see what’s coming. There is still a lot of work to do but I will enjoy my process and then we see what I can achieve in the future.”
As impressive as the clean hitting that has taken Sinner into the elite of men’s tennis was his cool demeanour on court on Sunday as he withstood an early barrage from Medvedev, before rallying from two sets down to clinch the title.
Although he fell to the Rod Laver Arena court after converting championship point, there was no huge outpouring of emotions as Sinner celebrated the biggest victory of his career.
“There were so many emotions in my head and the hard work and the sacrifices I’ve done throughout my career,” he explained. “Sharing this moment with my team was maybe the best feeling I’ve had until now.
“It’s great emotions, I was just happy, yesterday I still maybe couldn’t believe and now I’m starting to realise it, so it’s a great feeling.”
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