Jannik Sinner holding trophies above his head is an image that tennis fans have become very accustomed to in 2024.
The world No. 1 capped his extraordinary season by helping Italy win the Davis Cup for the second consecutive year, defeating Tallon Griekspoor 7-6(2), 6-2 to secure a 2-0 win over the Countries -Low in the final.
2021 Wimbledon finalist Matteo Berrettini earlier beat Botic van de Zandschulp 6-4, 6-2 to give Italy a crucial 1-0 lead in Malaga, Spain.
Sinner won his first career Grand Slam in 2024, winning the Australian Open and the US Open, before winning the prestigious season-ending ATP Finals.
The 23-year-old is the first player In history winning two Grand Slam tournaments, the ATP Finals and the Davis Cup in a single season.
Sinner has won a total of eight titles in 2024, including three Masters 1000 events, finishing the season with a record of 73-6 for an incredible 92.4% winning percentage, one of the highest in history.
Italy is also the first nation to retain the Davis Cup since the Czech Republic in 2013.
“We are very happy to be back here with this trophy – it’s like we are in Italy,” Sinner said, according to the BBC.
“You have a different pressure and a different weight of having Italy on your shoulders. I think we handled the situation very well.
“If it wasn’t important, I wouldn’t be here. To me, it means so much to me.
However, Sinner’s success came against a backdrop of continued controversy off the field.
He avoided suspension earlier this year after positive Clostebol testa banned anabolic steroid, in March.
The International Tennis Integrity Agency announced in August that it was not responsible for the incident, but the World Anti-Doping Agency filed an appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
“Of course, it’s a little bit in the head,” Sinner added of the matter. “The most important thing is that everyone who knows me as a human being trusts me – that’s why I continued to play at the level that I have.
“I was emotionally a little depressed, a little heartbroken. Sometimes life throws difficulties at you and you just have to (deal with it).
The Davis Cup success capped a glorious week for Italy, who had also won the women’s Davis Cup. Billie Jean King Cup after beating Slovakia 2-0 in the final.
Italy is only the third nation in the last 30 years to achieve the double of the Davis Cup and Billie Jean Cup – formerly Fed Cup. Opta.
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