Jannik Sinner takes number 1 in the ATP rankings at the end of the year

With his semi-final victory at the Shanghai Masters, Jannik Sinner secured number 1 in the ATP year-end rankings.

He is the first Italian to achieve this.

On June 10th, Sinner became the first man or woman in his country to reach number 1 in the world singles rankings since computer-based rankings began in 1973. Since then he has not given up his place and will keep it at least until the end of the season.

“It’s unbelievable,” Sinner said after his 6-4, 7-4 win over Tomas Machac. “That’s what you dream about as a kid when you’re young, just to get to No. 1. Now that the year is over, it is also a different and special feeling. It obviously means so much to me. This is something I couldn’t achieve without all the people around me – family and friends and also a big thank you to my team.”

The 23-year-old is the 19th player, alongside Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz, to become number 1 in the world rankings at the end of the year and only the fourth active player.

Sinner won the Australian Open at the start of his season and hasn't looked back since. After a mid-season battle with Alcaraz for the year-end No. 1 award, he pulled away and secured the prestigious award. He has won an ATP Tour-leading six titles – including his first major triumphs at the Australian Open and US Open – and will seek his seventh trophy on Sunday in the final of the Rolex Shanghai Masters against Djokovic, who is seeking his 100th of the year 2024 to win job title.

With his wins in Melbourne and New York, Sinner became only the third man in the Open Era to win his first two Grand Slam titles in the same season. He was the first to achieve this feat since Guillermo Vilas in 1977.

Sinner started the season with momentum after reaching the championship game at the 2023 Nitto ATP Finals and leading Italy to Davis Cup glory. He started 2024 as world No. 4 and recovered from a two-set deficit to Daniil Medvedev in the final at Melbourne Park. This made him only the second Italian, alongside Adriano Panatta (1976 Roland Garros), to win the Grand Slam title in the Open era. .

Sinner would win his first 16 games of the year and his season record is 64-6. The 23-year-old matched his personal best in wins from last year when he set the record for the most wins by a male player from his country in a single season in the Open Era.

The San Candido native started the year with an ATP Masters 1000 title and added two more by claiming trophies in Miami and Cincinnati. He also claimed crowns at ATP 500 events in Rotterdam and Halle.

By increasing his total number of majors at the US Open, Sinner became one of only four players to triumph at the Australian Open and US Open on hardcourt in the same season. The other three are Djokovic, Roger Federer and Mats Wilander.

Sinner has held the number 1 position in the world rankings for 17 weeks and will continue to expand his overall number. He is already ranked 18th among the 29 players who have reached the world No. 1 ranking in just a few weeks at the top of the sport.