Jannik Sinner was in inspired form throughout his US Open campaign, dropping just two sets, his very first of the tournament, and another against Daniil Medvedev.
The former was a shock to most, although given what he had suffered through in the run-up to this event, it could arguably have been foreseen.
After all, Sinner was embroiled in controversy after testing positive for the steroid Clostebol, with many high-profile names questioning his legitimacy.
For many, this kind of turmoil would be unbearable. However, for Jannik Sinner, it was fuel.
Darren Cahill explains emotional US Open reaction
Speaking following his team’s success in New York, coach Darren Cahill was asked about what brought about such an emotional reaction to his pupil’s success
As Arthur Ashe rose to his feet, the tactician remained seated, instead collapsing his head into his hands to wipe away tears.
He has sought to explain why: ‘The last three, four weeks, and the last four months, a lot of what has been going on in the team has been on my shoulders.
‘To try and keep a sense of things, to keep his focus on what we are trying to achieve, to continually tell him that he has done nothing wrong.
‘So, whatever happens, he should hold his head high because he has done nothing wrong, and let’s go about seeing what we can do with his team during this period. It wasn’t without a lot of stress, there was a lot of stress.
‘Even before the final I told him that the way he has behaved in the last few weeks has shown honesty and resilience, he must be very proud of himself.’
Jannik Sinner proves his unflappable mentality in New York
Many love to talk about mentality in tennis as one of the defining factors of these players.
After all, for the most part, the technical level is not too dissimilar between them all. That is what makes it so, on their day, anyone can beat anyone.
However, what truly separates the good from the great is that mindset, and the ability to consistently come back, despite every setback, to win at all costs.
Novak Djokovic, once lambasted for his mental fragility, is now a beacon of success in this field alongside rivals Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal.
And, already Sinner has started to place himself alongside these legendary figures. This run at the US Open only exemplifies this.
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