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Italian extends winning streak to 18 matches
March 13, 2024

Jannik Sinner improves his perfect 2024 record to 15-0.
By ATP Staff
Jannik Sinner continued his perfect 2024 season and extended his overall winning streak to 18 matches with a mature performance against home favourite Ben Shelton on Tuesday night at the BNP Paribas Open.

The elder statesman against the 21-year-old American, Sinner kept his composure in the face of Shelton's firepower and leaned on his big-match experience to secure a 7-6(4), 6-1 victory. By reaching the Indian Wells quarter-finals, the 22-year-old earned his 150th hard-court tour-level win (150-46), becoming the first player born since 2000 to reach that milestone.

"For sure it was a different matchup. I knew that obviously playing against him, there's not so much rhythm," Sinner said. "But I think I can be really proud about how I played.

"I just tried to stay positive. There were tough moments, especially in the first set. I'm really happy that I won that, and obviously started really positive in the second set, which gave me a lot of confidence."


Winner of 35 of his past 37 matches, Sinner is seeking to win his third consecutive title this season after triumphs at the Australian Open and Rotterdam. He is also bidding for his second ATP Masters 1000 crown following his Toronto run last August.

Shelton took the fight to Sinner early in the match, despite windy conditions, and immediately gave the stadium crowd plenty to cheer. His vicious baseline cuts helped create four early break points at 2-2, but Sinner fought them off and scored the match's first break in the following game.

Leaning on his home crowd, Shelton raised his level to fend off a set point and break for 5-5, but his charge ran out of steam after he recovered two mini-breaks to level the tie-break at 4/4. As Sinner steadied, Shelton's forehand began to misfire, costing him the set and an early break in the second.

From 4/4 in the tie-break, Sinner won 15 of 17 points to break open the match with a 3-0 lead in set two. Determined not to give the Italian any rhythm, Shelton continued to attack but could only push his opponent as far as deuce on return for the remainder of the one-hour, 38-minute match.

Shelton was denied his third Top 5 win, with each of his previous two coming at the ATP Masters 1000 level. He previously beat Casper Ruud in Cincinnati in 2022 and Sinner last season in Shanghai.

He now trails Sinner 1-2 in their Lexus ATP Head2Head after falling short of his first Top 3 win. Sinner is up to No. 2 in the PIF ATP Live Rankings and will hit a career high PIF ATP Ranking on Monday if he matches or betters the Indian Wells result of Carlos Alcaraz.

Italian off to a fast start in 2024
March 14, 2024
Jannik Sinner has not lost a match in 2024.Peter Staples/ATP Tour
Jannik Sinner has not lost a match in 2024.
By ATP Staff
Jannik Sinner’s perfect 15-0 start to the season has put him in elite company.

Since the ATP Tour was established in 1990, only four players have started a season with a better winning streak: Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer and Pete Sampras. Those four players are widely considered among the best in the history of tennis.

With a third consecutive title to start the year at the BNP Paribas Open, Sinner would to 18-0 in 2024, which would propel him past Federer (17-0 and 16-0) and Sampras (17-0) on the list.

Undefeated starts to an ATP Tour season (since 1990)

Streak Player
41 Novak Djokovic (2011)
26 Novak Djokovic (2020)
20 Rafael Nadal (2022)
17 Novak Djokovic (2013), Roger Federer (2018), Pete Sampras (1997)
16 Roger Federer (16)
15 Andre Agassi (1995), Novak Djokovic (2023), Jannik Sinner* (2024)
*Active streak
"I never take things [for] granted," Sinner said. "Every tournament, every match you go on court trying to do your best, trying to stay mentally focused. That's what I try to do. Every day there's a different opponent."

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In his first tournament of the season at the Australian Open, the 22-year-old claimed his maiden major title. Since losing the first two sets of the championship match at Melbourne Park against Daniil Medvedev, Sinner has won 18 of his past 19 completed sets. The only set he has lost during that stretch came in the second round at Rotterdam against Gael Monfils.

The Italian, who is at a career-high No. 2 in the PIF ATP Live Rankings, will take on Jiri Lehecka in the Indian Wells quarter-finals Thursday.