Djokovic, Nadal and Federer never achieved it. This should have been the year Sinner did

May 24, 2026 — 3:00am

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Jannik Sinner’s shock Australian Open semi-final defeat to Novak Djokovic in January is even more significant four months later, on the eve of the year’s second grand slam at Roland-Garros.

Italy’s world No.1 arrives in Paris as the hottest of favourites to complete his grand slam trophy set, with a 36-2 record for the year and having won five Masters 1000 tournaments since his last loss in February, including clinching the career Golden Masters.

Djokovic is the only other man to manage that feat of winning all nine ATP Masters 1000 events at least once, and welcomed Sinner to “the exclusive club” with a congratulatory Instagram story.

But just as notable is that Sinner’s great rival, seven-time major champion Carlos Alcaraz, remains sidelined with a debilitating wrist injury, a setback that already caused him to withdraw from Wimbledon as well.

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Alcaraz famously rallied from two sets and three consecutive match points down to stun Sinner in a five-set classic in last year’s Roland-Garros men’s final – and has won 10 of their 17 clashes.

With the ever-smiling Spaniard out indefinitely, Sinner is in a strong position to win the next two major titles, and there is no certainty that Alcaraz will return for the US........

© WA Today