Australian Open 2024: Where there were two, now there are three: Djokovic, Alcaraz… and now Sinner | Tennis | Kinds of sports

First he struck in Turin, where he knocked out Nole in the group stage of the Masters Cup, and then, in the moment of truth, bowed to the Serbian in the final. It so happened that just a week later, in Malaga, at the final stage of the Davis Cup, he again attacked the Belgrade player as he tried his best to equalize his impending team score. Second notice. And now, less than three months later, the scene is repeated in Melbourne, hallowed territory for the Balkans, who have never yet reached a semi-final at their favorite circuit, ten out of ten in his favour. He hasn’t lost the Australian Grand Prix number one since 2018, when he was beaten by the now-absent Yong Chung, and has 33 wins since he was struck by fleeting South Korean lightning that day. However, here is Jannik Sinner with the deck: 6-1, 6-2, 6-7(6) and 6-3 in 3 hours 22 minutes. The new order of tennis is introduced to the public in Australia. Where there were two, there are now three.

“Without a doubt, today is the greatest achievement of my career,” says the Italian, a tall man who, at 22, is establishing himself not only at the heights, but as a firm candidate for everything from now on. “When you play against Novak, you know it will be a very difficult match, especially at a Grand Slam, so when you see that you can beat him, the feeling is very good. It was an honor to be able to play against him so many times in November; Each game is different, but in all of them you learn. I tried to be as calm as possible and always remember my plan,” continues the finalist, who has now become the first player of his nationality, male or female, to attend the final of the Australian Open, where he sees the center’s stands before and after. They rub their eyes. Beating Djokovic in his ocean kingdom is big words.

“This tournament wasn’t at my level, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s the beginning of the end, as some like to call it,” says the 24-time champion, more moved than sunk. “This series was going to end one day,” he explains, “but this is just the beginning of the season.” Nole hopes to answer what is to come: Paris, Wimbledon, the Games, New York, five bullets in the chamber, but as soon as a new track opens, he delivers a serious blow that erases, at least for a moment, the dream of dreams. : distance yourself from Australia’s Margaret Court, 24 more people majors. He will not be able to extend his record in Australia by ten trophies, and above all he realizes that the threat is growing and no longer comes from one place. Alcaraz got into trouble at Wimbledon in July, and now Sinner looks at him and says, “Hey, dear Novak, I’m here too, big guy.”

“It means a lot to me to beat him here, but the tournament is not over yet. I didn’t win. Sunday (9.30, Eurosport) is the final, and the emotions will be different. Everything will be different,” answers the Tyrolean from San Candido, Trentino-Alto Adige, bordering Austria; an athlete who never loses his temper or loses his cool, who is praised in the locker room for his dedication, humility and dedication. The secret of the house.

Respect time

“I think I owe it to my parents, who have very simple jobs; My father is a chef and my mother serves food in the same restaurant. They have a lot of respect for their work, and I think they passed on that mentality to me: respect for the job, respect for everyone, accepting the fact that anything can happen on the court. The same thing happens in a restaurant: anything can happen, and you need to remain calm. I think it did me good. “I don’t want to rush,” he told this newspaper three years ago, when it was already said that behind that red hair and that noodle-sweet demeanor was a multi-carat rival. It was all true. A sinner, a tennis player with a capital T, a silent predator.

At this meeting, he noted that it was about respect for time, that now you can’t have everything, and that a tennis player’s career is long, and haste is not the best adviser, quite the contrary. He has waited patiently for his moment, respecting the cooking scheme, and is now moving forward, building on the solid foundation that Riccardo Piatti and Darren Cahill have laid for him today. The real leap comes from the latter. If 2023 brought a never-ending head-to-head showdown between Djokovic and Alcaraz, the sole defendant, the last four months describe the final rise of the Italian, who has so far failed to advance beyond the semi-finals onto the big stage. The Serb avoided it in July at Wimbledon. “And that helped me a lot,” he says, although the facts show that today there is no player in better form or who has won as many games (26 compared to 17 for Balkan and Medvedev and 11 for Alcaraz) or titles (3) October here.

On a quiet level, but constantly evolving, Sinner has not wavered even as big prizes elude him. Not only has he not failed under the tyranny of Djokovic or the rise of Alcaraz, but he has strengthened on all sides: physical, technical and tactical. He serves better, moves more freely, gets rid of the dizziness and begins to show his fangs. At the moment he can play with the Spanish (4-3) and is familiar with the number one (3-4). “Matches are not only won on match day. They are won because you feel prepared for a tough fight physically and mentally. I think after last year, especially at the end of the year, I gained the confidence I needed,” he says; “I’m very happy for Carlos, for what he’s done and what he’s doing. He went further than me. He won several Masters 1000s and two Grand Slams. “I have a lot of respect for him and wish him all the best.”

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