Izuchukwu OkosiJannik Sinner has ended Novak Djokovic’s 19-match winning streak in the ATP Finals by beating the Serbian 7-5, 6-7 (5), 7-6 (2), which was his first career win over the 24-time Grand Slam champion and current world No. 1.
The 22-year-old became the first player to defeat Djokovic in 121 days, since Carlos Alcaraz beat him in a five-set epic in the Wimbledon final—Djokovic had won his last 19 matches in a row since then.
But Sinner was just too good in the end, snapping that winning streak with a three-hour, eight-minute victory for his first win in four career meetings with the six-time ATP Finals champion.
The win is made even more memorable as It was also his second career win over a reigning No. 1, having beaten a No. 1-ranked Alcaraz in the semifinals of Miami Open earlier this year.
“It means a lot to me,” Sinner said of his win over Djokovic in front of his home crowd in Turin.
“When you win against the world No. 1 and he won 24 Grand Slams, it’s obviously in the top, top.”
Sinner has now won his last five matches against Top 5 players.
SINNER’S WINNING STREAK VS TOP 5 PLAYERS:
d. No. 2 Alcaraz in Beijing SFs, 7-6 (4), 6-1
d. No. 3 Medvedev in Beijing F, 7-6 (2), 7-6 (2)
d. No. 5 Rublev in Vienna SFs, 7-5, 7-6 (5)
d. No. 3 Medvedev in Vienna F, 7-6 (7), 4-6, 6-3
d. No. 1 Djokovic in ATP Finals RR, 7-5, 6-7 (5), 7-6 (2)
Sinner is now 2-0 in their round-robin group, having defeated Stefanos Tsitsipas in his first round-robin match, 6-4, 6-4, but no one from the group has qualified for the semifinals yet—it will all come down to Thursday’s matches between Sinner and Holger Rune and Djokovic and first alternate Hubert Hurkacz.
Izuchukwu Okosi is a Nigerian sports and entertainment journalist with two decades of experience in the media industry having begun his media journey in 2002 as an intern at Mundial Sports International (MSI) and Africa Independent Television (AIT), owners of Daar Communications Plc.
In October 2004, Okosi joined Complete Communications Limited, publishers of Complete Sports newspaper and Complete Football magazine as a reporter and later script writer for the Complete Sports studio.
He worked there for 13 years until October 2017.
Okosi also worked various times as Correspondent, Content creator and Editor at Sports Market International Magazine, Opera News, All Nigeria Soccer Media and Iconic Media Watch.
He also undertook freelance writing gigs for some local and international organizations.
Okosi is a member of the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN), Association of Movie Producers (AMP), Association of Voiceover Artistes of Nigeria (AVOA), Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) and Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ).
He has been part of cast in some Nollywood movies and radio dramas including Blood Money 2, Scores To Settle, Dead End 2, Another Campus Tale and Battle Line.
Aside mainstream media and the entertainment industry, he has interests in scouting/unearthing of talents in the sports and creative sectors, exports business and property development.
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