Jannik Sinner is preparing to begin a season as a star, and the signs are encouraging.
The world number 2 finished last season in the best possible way, losing only one match after the US Open and winning the Nitto ATP Finals in Turin for the second year in a row. Thus, the Italian ace has closed the gap between him and Carlos Alcaraz in the ATP rankings to just 550 points, and he will try to overtake the 22-year-old Spaniard in the early months of the new year.
The 24-year-old from Sesto Pusteria will unlikely reach this milestone at the Australian Open, given that he'll be called upon to defend his title at Melbourne Park (Carlitos, however, was stopped in the quarterfinals last year), but the 24-year-old from Sesto Pusteria will have a huge advantage from February to May.
He had been unable to play tournaments during that period in 2025 due to the controversial ban imposed on him by WADA and had returned to action at the Rome Masters 1000 before Roland Garros. For this reason, the four-time Grand Slam champion has an excellent chance of returning to the top of the ATP rankings this year.
Sinner is ready to start his 2026
Despite achieving sensational results in recent seasons, the former world number 1 has also faced criticism for several reasons. In particular, he was attacked when he refused to meet with Italian President Sergio Mattarella after the 2025 Australian Open and when he announced he would not participate in the Davis Cup Finals last November.
In a recent interview with Il Corriere della Sera, FITP president Angelo Binaghi defended Jannik: "Tennis is an individual sport and requires sacrifice. His refusal to meet Mattarella? No one's perfect, but I'd like to point out that Sinner was on the verge of being hospitalized during the match against Rune in Melbourne.
A tennis player needs more than just physical rest; he also needs to see family and friends. Fifty hours a day would be necessary."
