Jannik Sinner cracks top-20 at 19, following Nadal, Federer, Djokovic, Zverev

In only his second professional season, the young Italian Jannik Sinner claimed three Challenger and two Futures titles in 2019, reaching the first ATP semi-final and securing the ATP Next Gen Finals crown!

Finishing the breakthrough season in the top-80, Jannik had even bigger plans for 2020, advancing into the first Major quarter-final at Roland Garros and closing the year with the maiden ATP crown in Sofia, becoming the youngest ATP champion since Kei Nishikori in Delray Beach 2008! Training with Rafael Nadal in Adelaide in January, Sinner kicked off the 2021 season with another title in Melbourne and gained confidence ahead of the season's first Masters 1000 event.

Competing at the Masters 1000 level only for the third time, Jannik scored five Miami Open victories to advance into the title match as the youngest Masters 1000 finalist since Rafael Nadal in Madrid 2005!

The young Italian became the 11th teenager in the Masters 1000 final and the first since Novak Djokovic in Miami 14 years earlier, entering the record books before losing to Hubert Hurkacz in straight sets. Heading to Monte Carlo, Jannik scored one victory that propelled him into the top-20 for the first time in a career.

Thus, a teenager became the 27th youngest top-20 player since the start of the ATP rankings in 1973! At 19 years and eight months, Jannik is the tenth-youngest competitor in the mentioned group since 2000, joining the names like Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, Andy Murray, Novak Djokovic, Andy Roddick, Lleyton Hewitt and Alexander Zverev.

"Things are happening quite fast at the moment. I have an excellent team behind me, and each member knows what they have to do, so that gives me confidence. Everyone has a lot of experience working with many players.

I try to improve every day, which is my main goal, and the results will come. I am happy with what I am doing. Being a champion is a long, long road, and it's still a long way away. I've made a good start, though, playing high-level tennis at 19. Still, I don't think about becoming a champion," Jannik Sinner said.