World no. 1 Jannik Sinner would be the prime favourite on the upcoming Australian Open. The defending champion will play no official tournaments forward of the season’s first Main, following the 2024 path. Nonetheless, Jannik will enter the 2025 AO Opening Week.
Sinner would be the first notable title to step at Rod Laver Enviornment on January 7, going through Alexei Popyrin in an entertaining match. Each gamers will enter the Australian Open with excessive hopes. Jannik claimed his first Main crown in Melbourne this January.
Alternatively, the house favourite will enter the house Main as a ranked participant following run in 2024 and his first Masters 1000 crown. Popyrin challenged Novak Djokovic within the second spherical of this 12 months’s Australian Open earlier than falling in 4 units.
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 28, 2024 Sinner’s 2024 run
Jannik embraced a 73-6 season, leaving everybody behind and securing his first year-end no. 1 honor. The Italian kicked off the season as world no. 4, having overwhelmed Novak Djokovic two occasions within the closing levels of 2023. Sinner was among the many favorites on the Australian Open.
Jannik Sinner, Rotterdam 2024© Stream screenshot
The 22-year-old proved that and lifted a notable trophy. Jannik dethroned Novak Djokovic within the semi-final, toppling the legend in 4 units after going through no break factors. Sinner misplaced the opening two units in opposition to Daniil Medvedev within the title conflict.
The Italian produced a wonderful comeback and celebrated in a five-setter, becoming a member of tennis immortals at 22. It gave the younger gun an enormous enhance, and he stood as a participant to beat for the remainder of the season. Sinner conquered Rotterdam in February for his second title of the season.
He suffered his first lack of 2024 within the Indian Wells semi-final earlier than bouncing again in Miami. Jannik stormed over his opponents from the quarter-final spherical and conquered his second Masters 1000 crown. The Italian withdrew from the Madrid Masters forward of the quarter-final.
Jannik Sinner, ATP Finals 2024© Stream screenshot
He struggled with a hip damage and skipped the Rome Masters. Jannik returned to motion at Roland Garros and reached the semi-final. Sinner led two units to 1 in opposition to Carlos Alcaraz earlier than falling in a five-setter.
The Italian earned sufficient ATP factors to go Novak Djokovic and turn out to be the twenty ninth world no. 1 in ATP historical past. He gained his fourth ATP title of the season in Halle and reached the Wimbledon quarter-final. Sinner skipped the Olympic Video games in Paris.
He misplaced within the Canada Masters quarter-final earlier than conquering Cincinnati. Jannik was the favourite on the US Open, particularly when Alcaraz and Djokovic skilled early losses. The Italian reached the ultimate and battled in opposition to Taylor Fritz.
Jannik Sinner, Wimbledon 2024© Stream screenshot
World no. 1 gained in straight units, incomes his second Main title of the season and terminating the year-end no. 1 race. Sinner misplaced an exhilarating Beijing Open ultimate to Alcaraz, struggling the one loss within the 2024 title matches.
Jannik bounced again in Shanghai, toppling Novak Djokovic within the ultimate and lifting his seventh ATP title of the season. The Italian defeated three rivals on the Six Kings Slam in Riyadh, taking dwelling $6 million! Sinner was the favourite on the ATP Finals in Turin.
He defeated 5 rivals in straight units en route to a different notable title, wrapping up the season with 1500 ATP factors on his tally and leaving everybody behind. Jannik led Italy on the Davis Cup Finals in Malaga. He added three singles wins, serving to his nation to defend the title.
Alexei Popyrin, US Open 2024© Stream screenshot
Popyrin’s 2024 breakthrough
Alexei will end the season within the top-25 for the primary time. The Aussie gained 28 of fifty matches in 2024, claiming his first Masters 1000 crown in Montreal. Popyrin challenged Novak Djokovic for over three hours on the Australian Open earlier than falling in 4 units.
He reached the semi-final in Doha and earned 4 wins in Miami and Monte Carlo earlier than embracing his worst interval of the season. The Aussie misplaced to Andy Murray at Queen’s and embraced one other duel with Novak Djokovic at Wimbledon.
Popyrin fell in 4 units after three hours, taking the opening set earlier than shedding the remaining three. He suffered early losses in Hamburg and Umag earlier than Alexander Zverev ended his Olympic Video games marketing campaign in Paris.
Novak Djokovic & Alexei Popyrin, Wimbledon 2024© Stream screenshot
Alexei saved his greatest tennis for Montreal. He took down 5 top-20 rivals en path to his first notable ATP trophy. Popyrin defeated Andrey Rublev within the ultimate, turning into the primary Aussie with a Masters 1000 crown since Lleyton Hewitt in Indian Wells 2003!
Alexei organized one other Main conflict with Novak Djokovic; this time he was prepared for the best problem! Popyrin ousted the Olympic Video games gold medalist on the US Open earlier than falling to Frances Tiafoe. The Aussie didn’t play at his greatest within the remaining occasions.
Nonetheless, he completed the 12 months within the top-25, wishing for an excellent higher run in 2025.
Jannik Sinner & Alexei Popyrin, Madrid Masters 2021© Stream screenshot
Sinner vs. Popyrin – Their solely duel
Jannik and Alexei met as soon as within the official matches. They battled within the second spherical of the 2021 Madrid Masters, with the Aussie scoring a 7-6, 6-2 victory in an hour and 35 minutes. Alexei took cost on the quick clay at Caja Magica, touchdown 31 winners and 23 unforced errors.
The extra skilled participant took cost within the quickest exchanges, stealing the rival’s serve 4 occasions and taking cost in set quantity two. The Italian made a dependable begin and led 5-3 after half-hour. Popyrin pulled the break again on the final second at 4-5.
Alexei Popyrin, Madrid Masters 2021© Stream screenshot
The Aussie denied break factors within the eleventh recreation and trailed 4-1 within the tie break. Alexei overcame these challenges and claimed the breaker 7-5. The second set began with three breaks, two on Popyrin’s facet. He stole the rival’s serve once more within the fifth recreation for 4-1.
Alexei served for the win at 5-2 and moved excessive. Two rivals will meet once more on January 7, 2025, at Rod Laver Enviornment, and it ought to be a cracker.
