5 milestones Jannik Sinner achieved by winning the US Open 2024
Jannik Sinner surged past Taylor Fritz to claim his first US Open crown and the second Grand Slam title this year, following his first major win at the Australian Open in January. He overcame a late charge from the 12th-seeded American to seal what was otherwise a comfortable 6-3, 6-4, 7-5 win on Arthur Ashe.
Sinner's quick ascent to the top and his continuously improving game has been a pleasure to watch this year. He's taken the men's tennis game by storm alongside Carlos Alcaraz, splitting the 4 Grand Slams evenly with his Spanish rival.
With the New York major now under his belt, the talian has brought his total number of titles this year to six, which include a couple of Masters 1000 events in Miami and Cincinnati, and twoi ATP 500 events in Halle and Rotterdam, aside from his two major triumphs in Melbourne and New York.
Jannik Sinner's consistency in the Grand Slams this year has been outstanding overall, as he has reached the quarterfinals in every major tournament.
As he continues to solidify his status as one of the game's modern greats, here’s a quick overview of the milestones he has achieved on his way to the historic US Open crown.
#5. Third player in 5 decades to win US Open crown after dropping the opening set at the event
Jannik Sinner became just the third player in the last five decades to lift the US Open Men's Singles crown after dropping his first at the tournament. The only other players to do so were John McEnroe and Patrick Rafter.
Sinner dropped the first set to Mackenzie McDonald in the first round but quickly recovered to win the match in four sets. The only other set he lost in New York this year was to Daniil Medvedev in the quarterfinals. He secured straight-set victories in all five of his other matches against Alex Michelsen, Christopher O'Connell, Tommy Paul, Jack Draper, and Taylor Fritz in the final.
McEnroe did it in 1981 when he lost the first set of his opener against Juan Nunez but came back to win in four sets, 5-7, 6-1, 6-3, 6-2. He then defeated Tom Gullikson, Patrick Du Pre, Kevin Curren, Ramesh Krishnan, and Vitas Gerulaitis en route to the final, where he overcame his arch-rival Bjorn Borg in four sets, 4-6, 6-2, 6-4, 6-3.
Rafter accomplished the feat in 1998, when he lost the first two sets of his opener against Morocco’s Hicham Arazi but made an impressive comeback to win 4-6, 4-6, 6-3, 6-3, 6-1. He then defeated Hernan Gumy, David Nainkin, Goran Ivanisevic, Jonas Bjorkman, Pete Sampras, and Mark Philippoussis on his way to a successful title defense.
#4. Jannik Sinner is the third youngster player to win Cincinnati Open and US Open during the same season in the Open Era
Jannik Sinner's 2024 US Open triumph and the Cincinnati Open title a few weeks earlier saw him become the third youngest male to do so in the same season after John McEnroe in 1981 and Andy Roddick in 2003.
Sinner lifted his second Masters title of the season and the third of his career at the Cincinnati Open, defeating Frances Tiafoe in the finals 7–6(4), 6–2. He then defeated Taylor Fritz at the 2024 US Open to complete the American hardcourt double.
McEnroe also achieved this feat in 1981. He won the Cincinnati Open final against Chris Lewis, 6-3, 6-4, securing his eighth singles title of the year and the 32nd of his career. He then went on to defeat Bjorn Borg at Flushing Meadows to claim his fourth Grand Slam singles title.
Roddick achieved the same feat in 2003, winning both the Montreal and Cincinnati tournaments. He defeated David Nalbandian in the former and Mardy Fish in the latter. He then went on to win his first and only Grand Slam title at the US Open, with a 6–3, 7–6 (2), 6–3 victory over Juan Carlos Ferrero in the final.
#3. Jannik Sinner is the third-youngest male to win at least 23 Grand Slam matches in a single season
Only older only than Pete Sampras and Rafael Nadal, Jannik Sinner became the third-youngest player in the Open Era to notch 23 Grand Slam singles wins in a single season. He holds a 23-2 match record in the majors this season, having won both the Australian Open and US Open, reached the semifinals at the French Open and the quarterfinals of Wimbledon.
The legendary Sampras did it in 1993 when he compiled a similar 23-2 match record. He won the Wimbledon and US Open that year, beating compatriots Jim Courier and Cedric Pioline in the respective finals. The American also reached the semifinals of the Australian Open and the quarterfinals at the French Open.
Nadal, meanwhile, achieved the feat in 2008 with 24 wins out of 26 matches. He won the French Open and Wimbledon, beating Roger Federer in both finals. The Spaniard also reached the semifinals of the Australian Open and the US Open, losing to the eventual runner-ups on both occasions. He lost to Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in Melbourne and to Andy Murray in New York.
#2. Second-youngest to win Australian Open and US Open men's singles titles in same season
With his US Open triumph, Sinner became just the second youngest male player in the Open Era, after the legendary Jimmy Connors, to win both the Australian and US Open titles in the same season.
Jannik Sinner secured his first Grand Slam title by winning the Australian Open at the start of the year, defeating Daniil Medvedev in an epic five-set match. He then claimed his second Grand Slam title in New York with a straight-sets victory over home favorite Taylor Fritz.
Connors also did the same, winning his first two Grand Slams in the same season back in 1974. He beat Phil Dent in the final of the Australian Open 7–6(7), 6–4, 4–6, 6–3, and steamrolled pass Ken Rosewall in the finals of the US Open, dropping just 2 games en route to a 6–1, 6–0, 6–1 rout.
#1. Only Italian man to ever win US Open
Jannik Sinner scripted history at the 2024 US Open with his maiden triumph by becoming the first-ever Italian man to win the title. Matteo Berrettini had previously set the record for the best performance by a male tennis player from Italy at the New York Major when he reached the semifinals in 2019.
Flavia Pennetta is the only other Italian to have lifted the singles crown at the US Open, doing so back in 2015 when she beat childhood friend Roberta Vinci in an all-Italian final.