Jannik Sinner is continuing to write his name into the record books at a pace rarely seen in the modern men’s game.
By winning the Italian Open in front of an adoring home crowd on Sunday, 24-year-old Sinner completed the full set of nine ATP Masters 1000 titles – known as the ‘career Golden Masters’.
Novak Djokovic, the inimitable 24-time Grand Slam champion, is the only other man to achieve the feat.
World number one Sinner has now won a record six Masters titles in a row after beating Norway’s Casper Ruud in the Rome final.
The controlled manner of Sinner’s 6-4 6-4 victory – resiliently recovering from falling an early break down, showing his variety by unpicking Ruud with the drop-shot, then solidly rolling his way through the second set – underlined why he has a tight grip on the men’s tour.
“I’m really, really happy – it’s been an incredible last two and a half months,” said Sinner, who has also won the Indian Wells, Miami, Monte Carlo and Madrid Masters titles this season.
“There has been a lot of tension – especially here in the final. But it’s a learning process. I can’t know everything at 24 years old.”
The speed with which Sinner has completed the Golden Masters is startling.
Sinner only won his first Masters title – the tier of tournaments ranked below the majors – as recently as the 2023 Canadian Open.
Securing the clean sweep at a considerably younger age than Djokovic further adds to the Italian’s accomplishment.
Djokovic was 31 when he created history by winning the 2018 Cincinnati Open, before he repeated the feat – winning all nine events at least twice – aged 33 in 2020.
“With the level of competition, the physical and mental demands, changing surfaces, travelling the world, winning all these matches is incredible,” Britain’s former world number four Tim Henman said on Sky Sports.
“It emphasises how complete a player Sinner is.”
After Rome, all roads now lead to Roland Garros – where Sinner can create even more history at the upcoming French Open. (BBC)
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