Is 2024 the year of Sinner?

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Count Jannik Sinner as one player who is happy the Australian Open is starting one day earlier this year.

After finishing last year in the best form of his life, the World No. 4 is beyond eager to commence his 2024 season. And he won’t have to wait long. Following the release of the Day 1 schedule, Sinner will have the honour of striking the first balls inside Rod Laver Arena when he faces Dutchman Botic van de Zandschulp from noon local time.

“I still have the confidence inside of me,” said Sinner, who ended last year with two wins in three meetings against World No. 1 Novak Djokovic within the space of two weeks.

“At the end of the year I played really good… Honestly, I missed being a little bit out of competition in the last one and a half, two months or so, maybe less. It's good to be back here, to have the connection with the crowd and everything. Let's see how it goes.”

After winning ATP 500 titles in Beijing and Vienna, Sinner beat Djokovic in group play at the Nitto ATP Finals on home soil in Turin in a third-set tie-break before the World No. 1 turned the tables in the final. But the redhead had the final say, saving three consecutive match points to beat Djokovic in their singles battle in the Davis Cup semi-finals, a key moment in Italy's march to its first Davis Cup title since 1976.

Sinner’s strong finish to last season has some tennis watchers wondering whether 2024 is the year the 22-year-old challenges for the No. 1 Pepperstone ATP Ranking.

Proficient in the snow, Sinner knows not to get out over his skis. But with two late-season victories over Djokovic and Daniil Medvedev along with solo wins over Carlos Alcaraz, Stefanos Tsitsipas, Andrey Rublev and Holger Rune, the Italian knows he can consistently beat the best players in the game. Sinner also traded wins with Alcaraz in their Lexus ATP Head2Head series earlier in the season in Indian Wells and Miami.

“For sure mindset is a key point in our sport. It gives you a good feeling when you lose so many times and then you win finally because it shows also the progress you're making as a player,” Sinner said. “With Daniil, for example, I lost I think six times in a row, then I figured out that I can win against him if I play some good tennis. The mental part is really important. You always have to believe in yourself.”