Jannik Sinner overtakes Andre Agassi in unique milestone

Italy’s young tennis star, Jannik Sinner, has achieved another milestone. The 23-year-old is often regarded as the best player currently playing in men’s tennis in the singles category and showcased his talent at the highest level in the 2024 season, where he was simply unstoppable.

It was for this reason that Sinner finished the season as the world number one, with a massive lead of more than 3,000 rating points. The San Candido-born has achieved another milestone. He has now stayed at the top of the ATP rankings for the first time in 31 weeks, overtaking famous American player Andre Agassi, who remained on the top of the rankings for the first time in 30 weeks.

Sinner finished the season with three major titles. He first lifted the Australian Open after beating Russia’s Daniil Medvedev in the final in a five-set thriller with a score of 3-6, 3-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-3. He then lifted the US Open title after beating America’s Taylor Fritz in the final in straight sets with a score of 6-3, 6-4, 7-5. His last major title as a single player was the ATP Finals on his home soil, where he defeated Fritz in the final in straight sets with a score of 6-4, 6-4.

Despite all those achievements, 2024 will remain a year where Sinner was involved in a doping scandal. The reigning world number one failed two doping tests in March but surprisingly managed to escape any punishment for that. That is because the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) accepted the player’s counsel’s response where they claimed that the availability of the banned substance in a minimal quantity in the player’s sample was because of receiving cream for treatment of an injury from one member of the coaching staff. That decision, however, has been challenged by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) in the Court of Arbitration for Sport.