Jannik Sinner has had a spectacular season, clinching eight titles and two Grand Slams. His victories include the Australian Open, Rotterdam, Miami, Halle, Cincinnati, US Open, Shanghai Masters, and the ATP Finals. He kicked off the year with explosive energy and wrapped it up just as fiercely. Sinner also led Italy to its second consecutive Davis Cup victory in Malaga, proving he is a formidable player. But was he always this tough to beat?

Sinner began playing tennis at just seven years old. At 13, he left his home in Italy to pursue tennis professionally. By 17, he debuted in the ATP as an unranked player, but that didn’t last long. He broke into the Top 100 the following year and won a Challenger title, becoming the first player born in the 2000s to do so. While he wasn’t at his peak then, his potential was evident. The pros of that time certainly recognized it.

One notable pro who underestimated Sinner was Steve Johnson. In 2019, during the Rome tournament, Johnson faced the 17-year-old Sinner. No one expected Sinner’s skill, especially Johnson. After losing 1-6, 6-1, 7-5, which marked Sinner’s second ATP-level win, Johnson felt crushed. Reflecting on that match, he said, “While I was convinced he would win a match in his life and it would be against me. The shame was eating me up.”

Johnson went back to his locker room with his head down. He immediately contacted his team for support. “I called my agent and told him to cancel my upcoming commitments; I was retiring from tennis. I couldn’t accept the shame of losing to that kid,” he recalled.

At that time, Johnson was ranked among the Top 100 and had reached a career-high of No. 21 in 2016 with four titles under his belt. This year, Johnson retired after struggling with a knee injury that sidelined him for three months. He admitted to ATP, “That was a pretty big sign.” Despite his defeat, he knew Sinner would find success on the court.

Since that match, Sinner has amassed a total of 18 titles and has become the no. 1 player in the world. Not only has he defeated Johnson two other times in 2021 and 2022, but he’s also taken down more top-ranked players like Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic. He surpassed former Italian pro-Adriano Panatta’s record as the first Italian to win a Grand Slam title since 1976.

Tennis in Italy is buzzing with excitement again thanks to Sinner’s achievements. But a former player Nicola Pietrangeli believes Sinner may never reach the heights he did in his time. Well, that sounds strange, but does Pietrangeli hold a record that’s unbreakable? Let’s find out.

Former World No. 3 and Italian legend wonders if Sinner would be capable of breaking his records

While speaking on the radio program ‘Un giorno da Pecora,’ Italian tennis legend Nicola Pietrangeli reflected on his country’s historic Davis Cup victory. The nation successfully defended its title, defeating the Netherlands with a commanding 2-0 lead. Matteo Berrettini set the tone by beating Botic Van de Zandschulp 6-4, 6-2. Jannik Sinner then extended Italy’s advantage, triumphing over Tallon Griekspoor 7-6(2), 6-2, driving the team to glory.

Pietrangeli acknowledged Sinner’s immense potential and winning attitude but made a bold claim about his own records. “Records are assessed at the end of a career. For Sinner and the others, it will take three or four lifetimes to break all my records,” he stated, as reported by Corriere dello Sport on November 26.

Pietrangeli emphasized his unmatched Davis Cup milestone, where he played a staggering 164 matches for Italy, winning 120 of them. “I have one (record) that is unbeatable,” he added, referring to his impressive record in the competition. Pietrangeli noted that while Sinner is young and on the right track, it will take time for him to match such achievements. “He is certainly on the right track to achieve it, for God’s sake. He is only 23 years old,” he said.

Sinner’s contributions to Italy’s success have not gone unnoticed. Renowned tennis figure Adriano Panatta remarked on Sinner’s prowess, saying, “If Sinner continues like this, we will have to give a handicap to the opponents.” With his remarkable performances in the Davis Cup and beyond, Sinner is certainly making waves in the tennis world. What do you think about Sinner’s rising dominance? Share your thoughts in the comments below!