Italy’s
Fabio Fognini has credited
Jannik Sinner for starting
a ‘huge movement’ in the country. The 23-year-old is regarded as one of the
best players currently playing in men’s tennis in the singles category along
with the likes of Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz.
Former world number nine Fognini has recently spoken to Relevo
where he credited Sinner for starting a ‘huge movement’ in the country because
of his success on the court. “With him, a huge movement has been created,” he
said. “Now there are many children who play tennis, and this is the most
important thing.”
Sinner has recently concluded a remarkable season where he
was simply unstoppable. The San Candido-born won the Australian Open after one-time
Grand Slam winner 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. Sinner then lifted the US Open after
beating America’s Taylor Fritz in the final in straight sets with a score of
6-3, 6-4, 7-5.
The reigning world number one ended the season with an ATP
Finals title as well as he once again defeated Fritz in the final in straight
sets, this time on home soil, with a score of 6-4, 6-4. Sinner then went on to help
his country in defending the Davis Cup title. They defeated the Netherlands in
the final with a score of 2-0 to defend their titles. Those performances helped
Sinner end the year as the world number one for the first time in his career,
that too with a lead of more than 3,000 points. While doing that, the reigning
world number one becomes only the second player in the history of men’s tennis
in the Open era to finish the season without losing a match in straight sets.
The only other to do that was the former world number one Switzerland’s Roger
Federer.