After the disappointment Jannik Sinner suffered at Roland Garros just last month, to bounce back and win the Wimbledon title marks an outstanding reaction.
However, this is the kind of unflinching mentality we have become accustomed to from the world number one, who mimicked this same pattern last year after losing in the final in Paris.
His incredible ability to compartmentalise and bounce right back from ultimate disappointment is what makes him such a supreme champion, with this marking his fifth major title, bringing him within touching distance of some of the sport’s best ever.
Speaking live on ESPN afterwards, Andy Roddick was one of many who were left stunned by what Jannik Sinner continues to accomplish.
Andy Roddick lost for words after Jannik Sinner’s Wimbledon final performance
He began by contextualising exactly how impressive Sinner’s accomplishments are.
Roddick listed: “Yeah, I mean, he’s kind of walking towards history a little bit.
“I know, the big three kind of ruined statistical comparison for kind of everyone else on earth, but just passes Jim Courier with his fifth slam, and if you look at six slams, Edberg, Becker, we’re talking giants of the game, seven slams, Wilander, Johnny Mac, Alcaraz, eight slams, Connors, Agassi, Lendl.
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“Those are the names that he’s associated with from a historical perspective, just a massive performance on the biggest stage in tennis.”
Then, touching on the difficulties he faced after falling a set behind, Roddick added: “Yeah, listen, Zverev… credit to him, he played a great strategic match, right?
“He had to play outside of his comfort zone; he had to take on a risk that he doesn’t like to do. It’s not his instinct, but credit to Sinner.
“I mean, he’s held 87 straight times against Zverev. That’s, like, insane. I can’t explain how nuts that is.”
Rod Laver has also sent a message of congratulations to Sinner, with tennis royalty recognising the greatness that is unfolding before our very eyes.
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Having simply defended his Wimbledon title, Sinner’s world rankings points tally has remained stagnant. This is a positive, as the only other alternative was to lose those points.
However, given Alexander Zverev unsurprisingly improved on his performance last year, his loss in the final has still seen him bridge the gap between himself and the world number one.
In overtaking Carlos Alcaraz, the German is now next in line for the true pinnacle of the sport; a position he has never held in his career.
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That being said, he is still some distance from ever achieving it.
After all, Sinner still sits way out in front on 13,450 ranking points, some 4970 points ahead of Zverev on 8480.
