ATP Match of the Year, No. 1: Carlos Alcaraz reaches God mode to win Roland Garros, but it took Jannik Sinner to push him there

The 21-year-old Italian made his Top 10 debut in 2021 and plots an even higher ascent culminating with an ATP Finals after narrowly missing out on Turin in 2022.

ByKamakshi Tandon

Published Dec 28, 2022

No. 5 of '22: Alcaraz d. Sinner, US Open quarterfinals

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WATCH: Sinner took part in one of the best matches of 2022 against eventual champion Carlos Alcaraz at the US Open.

Jannik Sinner hasn't even started his season yet but he knows where he wants to finish—in the Top 8, competing at the ATP Finals in Turin, Italy.

A former world No. 9, Sinner is currently at No. 15 in the rankings following a season of both big performances and problems with injuries. The highlights included a high-quality five-setter against eventual champ Carlos Alcaraz at the US Open—one of the best matches of the season—another five-set contest against eventual champ Novak Djokovic at Wimbledon, and a title victory at the ATP 250 event in Umag.

Sinner now wants to build on that next season.

"I don't look too much at the rankings, but at improving—the ranking will follow," he told Corriere del Veneto. "But I certainly aim to be at the Nitto ATP Finals in Turin in front of the Italian fans. It would mean being in the best eight players of the year, and having had a very good season."

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The 21-year-old Italian brought on coaches Simone Vagnozzi and Darren Cahill to his team during this season to help add to his game, which already had a lot of firepower.

"Serving, net game and my variety generally," he said, describing his improvements. "Tactically, more dropshots and serving-and-volleying. The important thing is to understand at what point in the rally to use them. This is why I'm eager to start the new season."

But Sinner also knows he will have tough competition from his fellow players, naming some other young players among his biggest rivals.

"Alcaraz, [Holder] Rune, [Félix] Auger-Aliassime and [Lorenzo] Musetti," he said. "The group of 24-26 year olds, [Alexander] Zverev, [Daniil] Medvedev, [Stefanos] Tsitispas, [Casper] Ruud, [Matteo] Berrettini and [Andrey] Rublev. And of course [Rafael] Nadal and [Novak] Djokovic, incredible legends who still have something to give," he said.

The 2019 NextGen champion starts play in the ATP event in Adelaide.

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