Jannik Sinner ready to update record book again

After a brief vacation in the Maldives and a presence in the Formula 1 paddock for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix that crowned Lando Norris, Jannik Sinner is ready to take up the racket again with a specific goal, that of once again updating the record book. Indeed, the first major event of 2026, the Australian Open, sees the Sesto Pusteria outfielder as the reigning bi-champion: confirming champion would allow Sinner to become the first Italian to win the same Grand Slam tournament three times, among others consecutively. It would, moreover, be the fifth Slam tournament ever won by Sinner, as many as Nicola Pietrangeli (twice), Adriano Panatta, Francesca Schiavone and Flavia Pennetta (once each) have won at the individual level, putting them together.

The provisional entry list is the first Italian to win the same Grand Slam tournament three times, including consecutively.

The provisional entry list for the Australian Open in fact sees as many as eleven representatives of the Bel Paese already certain to participate, thanks to their respective positions in the world rankings. In addition to Jannik Sinner there will be, barring unforeseen circumstances, Lorenzo Musetti, Flavio Cobolli, Luciano Darderi, Lorenzo Sonego, Matteo Berrettini, Matteo Arnaldi, Mattia Bellucci and Luca Nardi in the men’s tournament, while Jasmine Paolini and Elisabetta Cocciaretto are already certain to take part in the Australian tournament without having to pass through the qualifying hurdle. A real tricolor platoon, to try to give continuity to the great results obtained in recent times by Italian tennis.

Francesco Lucivero

For Sinner, in particular, the one next January will be his seventh appearance in Melbourne, absolute and consecutive: in the 2020 edition he was eliminated in the second round by Marton Fucsovics, in 2021 he was stopped in the first round after a five-set marathon against Denis Shapovalov, in 2022 he climbed all the way to the quarters before bowing out to Stefanos Tsitsipas, Sinner’s own executioner also in 2023 in the round of 16, while in 2024 and 2025 he was no match for anyone, beating first Daniil Medvedev and then Alexander Zverev in their respective finals. Interestingly, Sinner has never met his biggest rival, Carlos Alcaraz, in Australia.

The two, should there be no last-minute news, will start in Melbourne with the top two seeds (Alcaraz number 1, Sinner number 2): this means that a crossover would come, as we have been used to since 2025, only in the very final.