Jannik Sinner’s season may be over, but the records don’t stop coming for the reigning world number one.
The Italian will be frustrated to see his time at the top coming to an end, but that is through no fault of his own. There remains great hope, and almost expectation, that he will wrestle back control from Alexander Zverev in 2027.
However, despite what seems like an overwhelming negative on the surface, seeing him confirm that the Wimbledon final would be his final match of 2026, there remains one silver lining.
In fact, it has actually seen Jannik Sinner join the likes of Roger Federer and Jimmy Connors on a rather exclusive and legendary list, the likes of which very few players in history will ever grace.
Jannik Sinner joins elite list including Roger Federer
With confirmation that he will not play another match this season, Sinner’s win rate will stay as it is.
This will only contribute to what has been an outstanding and rather dominant past three consecutive years, where his win percentage sits at an astounding 92.1%.
Sinner has won 175 matches over this period and lost just 15.
The only other players on this list are true legends of the sport, like Federer and Connors.
Others include Ivan Lendl and Bjorn Borg, with all having closed multiple consecutive seasons with a win percentage above 90%.
Jannik Sinner has caused ATP Finals mayhem
Back in the day, the ATP Finals felt like a closed shop. There were maybe two or three spaces up for grabs, with the rest comfortably taken up by the greatest players of that generation, including Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic.
Nowadays, the opposite is true.
Apart from Carlos Alcaraz, Sinner and Alexander Zverev, every other spot in this grand end-of-season showpiece feels up for grabs, and this year it feels even more so.
What would have happened if Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner played at the same time as Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal?
The 24-year-old’s decision to end his season early has made it so a handful of stars feel like they have a golden opportunity to qualify, beyond the likes of Ben Shelton, who has already secured that third spot.
These include Daniil Medvedev, Flavio Cobolli, Frances Tiafoe, Arthur Fils, Rafael Jodar, Alex de Minaur and Djokovic.
There is not long left between now and the ATP Finals, and the cut-off draws closer with each passing day.
It really feels like the competition for spots at this event has never been so fierce.
