Jannik Sinner joins Rafael Nadal & Novak Djokovic in elite club after securing year-end World No. 1
With his Shanghai Masters win, Jannik Sinner sealed the year-end World No. 1 ranking, becoming the third to do so after Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal. The duo had ensured a finish at the top in the month of September in 2015 and 2010 respectively.
Sinner currently holds 11,920 points and is well ahead of No. 2-ranked Carlos Alcaraz, who has 7,120 points to his name. There will be no change at the top of the rankings, which were updated on October 14 at the conclusion of the Shanghai Masters.
The Italian is in the middle of his breakthrough season, having won his first two Grand Slam titles and ascended to the World No. 1 ranking for the first time in his career in June this year.
He began his season in fine style, capturing the Australian Open title after beating Djokovic and Daniil Medvedev in the semifinal and final respectively. Big results followed as he picked up a Masters 1000 title in Miami and improved on his best showing at the French Open by reaching the semifinal.
Wimbledon went by quietly and he missed the Paris Olympics but Sinner cemented himself as the player to beat, at least on hardcourts, by lifting his second Grand Slam title at the US Open.
He has made the final of his last four tournaments, winning on all but three occasions. The latest victory in Shanghai saw his season’s win-loss record improve to 65-6.
How do Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic's 2010 and 2015 seasons compare with Jannik Sinner's 2024
Both Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic also had exceptional results in the 2010 and 2015 seasons respectively, with the Spaniard posting a 71-10 and the Serb 82-6 win-loss records.
The year 2010 was extra special for Nadal as it was the only year from his career when he got his hands on three Grand Slam trophies. He was triumphant at the French Open, Wimbledon and the US Open. The Spaniard had retired from his Australian Open quarterfinal against Andy Murray.
The results helped him lock the World No. 1 ranking on September 20, the earliest ever, until it was surpassed by Djokovic in 2015.
The Serb’s incredible 2015 season saw him reach the finals of all four Grand Slams and win three of them. The only summit clash where he was bested was against Stan Wawrinka at the French Open.
He was able to ensure a year-end World No. 1 finish as early as 14 September 2015, a record that stands till now.