Jannik Sinner joins Federer, Nadal and Djokovic on exclusive list with 18th Top 10 win of year

Jannik Sinner defeated Alex de Minaur at the Davis Cup Finals on Saturday, 6-3, 6-4, to not only clinch Italy’s semifinal victory over Australia at the event, but to join a very exclusive list.

The current world No. 1’s win over the world No. 9 was his incredible 18th Top 10 win of the year, making him just the fourth man this century to record 18 or more Top 10 wins in a single season.

And it’s not hard to guess who the other three men are: the Big 3, of course, of Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic.

Sinner is the first man to hit 18 since 2016, since Djokovic did it.

MEN WITH 18+ TOP WINS IN A SEASON SINCE 2000:
2004: Federer (18 wins)
2006: Federer (19 wins)
2011: Djokovic (21 wins)
2012: Djokovic (24 wins)
2013: Nadal (24 wins), Djokovic (24 wins)
2014: Djokovic (19 wins)
2015: Djokovic (31 wins)
2016: Djokovic (21 wins)
2024: Sinner (18 wins)

It’ll be Sinner’s last Top 10 win of the year, too, as the Italians will play the Netherlands—who don’t currently have a player in the Top 10 of the ATP rankings—in the final of the Davis Cup Finals.

Sinner is 18-5 overall against Top 10 players this year, but he's taken it into overdrive in recent weeks—he left Beijing 10-5, but has gone 8-0 against them since the start of October (and 16-0 in sets).

SINNER VS TOP 10 PLAYERS IN 2024 (18-5):
d. No. 5 Rublev in Australian Open QFs, 6-4, 7-6, 6-3
d. No. 1 Djokovic in Australian Open SFs, 6-1, 6-2, 6-7, 6-3
d. No. 3 Medvedev in Australian Open F, 3-6, 3-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-3
l. to No. 2 Alcaraz in Indian Wells SFs, 1-6, 6-3, 6-2
d. No. 4 Medvedev in Miami SFs, 6-1, 6-2
d. No. 7 Rune in Monte Carlo QFs, 6-4, 6-7, 6-3
d. No. 10 Dimitrov in Roland Garros QFs, 6-2, 6-4, 7-6
l. to No. 3 Alcaraz in Roland Garros SFs, 2-6, 6-3, 3-6, 6-4, 6-3
d. No. 9 Hurkacz in Halle F, 7-6, 7-6
l. to No. 5 Medvedev in Wimbledon QFs, 6-7, 6-4, 7-6, 2-6, 6-3
l. to No. 8 Rublev in Canada QFs, 6-3, 1-6, 6-2
d. No. 6 Rublev in Cincinnati QFs, 4-6, 7-5, 6-4
d. No. 4 Zverev in Cincinnati SFs, 7-6, 5-7, 7-6
d. No. 5 Medvedev in US Open QFs, 6-2, 1-6, 6-1, 6-4
l. to No. 3 Alcaraz in Bejing F, 6-7, 6-4, 7-6
d. No. 5 Medvedev in Shanghai QFs, 6-1, 6-4
d. No. 4 Djokovic in Shanghai F, 7-6, 6-3
d. No. 9 De Minaur in ATP Finals RR, 6-3, 6-4
d. No. 5 Fritz in ATP Finals RR, 6-4, 6-4
d. No. 4 Medvedev in ATP Finals RR, 6-3, 6-4
d. No. 7 Ruud in ATP Finals SFs, 6-1, 6-2
d. No. 5 Fritz in ATP Finals F, 6-4, 6-4
d. No. 9 De Minaur in Davis Cup Finals SFs, 6-3, 6-4

And one last milestone—the Italian's 18th Top 10 win of the year against De Minaur on Saturday was also the 40th Top 10 win of his career. He’s now 40-32 against the elite overall.