By Matthew Futterman / The Athletic
In January, as the Grand Slam season kicked off, Jannik Sinner from Italy emerged as the world’s premier tennis player by clinching the Australian Open. He solidified that title on Sunday in New York, overcoming a “challenging” few months, to capture the U.S. Open for the first time, marking his second Grand Slam victory in his career.
At 23, Sinner triumphed over Taylor Fritz with scores of 6-3, 6-4, 7-5 in front of a crowd eager to witness an American man win the U.S. Open for the first time in 21 years.
Sinner gave the impression of rendering Fritz almost powerless. At one moment, he launched a forehand that the American struggled to respond to. The very next moment, he outlasted Fritz in a 20-shot exchange, displaying remarkable patience.
After coaxing Fritz into a final forehand that found the net, Sinner raised his arms in triumph, celebrating with the exuberance of an insurance executive ending a successful day at work.
While Novak Djokovic makes tennis history and Carlos Alcaraz dazzles with his incredible skills, Sinner methodically takes care of business. He thrives especially well when absent health concerns or off-court distractions.
“This recent phase of my career has been genuinely difficult,” Sinner remarked on the court just before he received the champion’s trophy along with a check for $3.6 million.
This mentioned a not-so-subtle referral to his two positive tests for clostebol, a prohibited substance, occurring in March, and the subsequent struggle to prove his innocence, which took place largely behind the scenes. The news of those tests emerged the week leading into the U.S. Open, along with the verdict of an independent tribunal arranged by the International Tennis Integrity Agency, which concluded that Sinner had “no fault or negligence” and thus would not face a ban.
The situation made Sinner a focal point in various tennis discussions: debates over the preferential treatment of star athletes, inconsistencies in drug testing protocols, and whether he should have even been eligible to compete at the U.S. Open, the final Grand Slam of the year.
He faced a penalty that cost him both prize money and ranking points from the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, California, where the initial test was conducted. He dismissed his physiotherapist and trainer, who had bought the healing spray containing the clostebol that had inadvertently entered his system through transdermal exposure.
Certain players publicly criticized him and the system. Sinner responded to the backlash, feeling relieved that the information was out in the open.
“The lead-up to this tournament hasn’t been ideal due to certain events,” he disclosed in a press conference prior to his first match. “Anyone who truly knows me can attest that I would never engage in anything contrary to the rules.”
He remarked on a silver lining: discovering who his genuine friends were.
Then the tournament commenced. Athletes undergoing personal turmoil frequently find solace on the court. They can block out external distractions to focus on the next ball, the next game, the next match.
That was Sinner’s approach, even after a lackluster start where he lost the first set of his opening match against American Mackenzie McDonald. He dropped only one additional set on his path to securing the trophy.
Off the court, he relied on long-time supporters. “They couldn’t eliminate all the difficulties, but they provided help,” he said, adding, “It’s still a bit in my mind. It hasn’t disappeared, but when I’m on the court, I concentrate on the game.”
On Sunday, he came out aggressively, capitalizing on a day when Fritz’s strongest weapon, his serve, faltered. By Fritz’s own admission, his groundstrokes were also not up to his recent standards.
“I’m quite disappointed with how I performed and the way I hit some shots,” Fritz shared in a press gathering. “I just wish I could have played better and given myself a greater opportunity.”
Even so, he appeared to acknowledge that it might not have made a significant difference, given how thoroughly Sinner answered every challenge thrown his way. They were nearly equal on short points, with Sinner winning 60 to Fritz’s 56, but when rallies exceeded four shots, Sinner claimed 36 wins to 23 losses.
As the match progressed and Fritz’s serve improved, Sinner made adjustments. He positioned himself further behind the baseline, shifting from attacking to returning deep, understanding that by prolonging the rallies he could seize control of the points. He obliterated Fritz’s final glimmer of hope with a lunging backhand return from a 133-mph serve right down the middle.
Sinner’s return landed deep towards Fritz’s backhand, and six shots later, the American was once more scrambling ineffectively after a forehand from Sinner.
Fritz had thrown his best shot; Sinner had an arsenal of superior ones.
When the match concluded, just two games later and a mere 2 hours, 15 minutes after it began, the landscape of tennis had solidified, not changed. There remained a clear distinction between Sinner and Alcaraz and all others leading into the U.S. Open. Djokovic can still compete with them when his health and mindset are optimal.
This was essentially the state of affairs when all was said and done. For the first time since 2003, Roger Federer, Djokovic, and Rafael Nadal have not claimed a Grand Slam title. The era of the Big Three has transitioned to a period of two.
This may persist for a while.
“It’s beneficial for the sport to have new champions,” Sinner stated, the trophy beside him.
