Jannik Sinner repeats Novak Djokovic 2015 feat with Italian Open triumph

As of Sunday, FanDuel Sportsbook lists him as the heavy favorite to win the French Open (-270). Sinner has never won the clay-court tournament, but his play on the surface this season suggests that's about to change. He's 11-0 on clay this season.

Plus, he's already triumphed over many of the best players in the world, improving his strong French Open odds. Sinner, the No. 1-ranked player in the world, has gone 8-1 (88.9 percent win rate) against players listed in the top 10 this season. Djokovic went 31-5 (86.1 percent win rate) against top-10 opponents in 2015, setting the Open Era record for most top-10 victories in a season.

One of Sinner's wins came against world No. 2 Carlos Alcaraz at the Monte-Carlo Masters final on April 12. In that match, Sinner joined Djokovic as the second player to win the "Sunshine Double" (the Indian Wells and Miami Open) and Monte-Carlo Masters in the same year. If you guessed he did so in 2015, you'd be correct. 

"It's impressive what you are achieving right now," seven-time Grand Slam winner Alcaraz told Sinner in a post-match interview. 

Sinner — who's now 35-2 in singles matches — could achieve even more in the coming year. He's clearly reached peak performance in 2026. 

Ultimate Tennis Statistics rates Djokovic's 2015 season No. 1 all-time (91 GOAT points). (GOAT points are assigned for various achievements like going deep into tournaments, Grand Slams and other big wins.) Sinner's 2026 is not yet in the database. 

Sinner's year may not overtake Djokovic's as No. 1 because of the Australian Open loss. However, if he keeps excelling, his 2026 could rank among the same company as other impressive years that set the benchmark for tennis excellence.