Steve Johnson says what Jannik Sinner did to him years ago which made him want to quit tennis

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Jannik Sinner became world number one in 2024, the greatest season of his career to date.

For many years it was clear that Sinner had the potential to break out and become one of the top names on the ATP Tour, and he finally did so in 2024.

Sinner won the Australian Open earlier this year, his first career Grand Slam title, coming back from two-sets down against Daniil Medvedev in the final.

The Italian then added three more ATP Masters 1000 titles to his trophy cabinet, winning in Miami, Cincinnati, and Shanghai.

He capped off a fantastic Grand Slam campaign in New York, as Sinner won the US Open, to double his Major tally.

The 23-year-old wasn’t done there however as Sinner beat Taylor Fritz to win the ATP Finals in Turin, his first title on home soil.

Sinner winning in Italy made for plenty of great memories this year, but for one former ATP star, it took him back to a tough moment in his career.

Steve Johnson wanted to quit tennis after losing to ‘terrible’ Jannik Sinner

Speaking following Sinner’s win in Turin, Steve Johnson recalled the time he played a young Sinner at the Italian Open in 2019.

“I think it was 2018 or 2019, but I think I was like top 40, playing well, I never historically did well in Rome,” he said.

“I don’t know if you guys ever felt this, you play like a local wildcard, or a hometown kid, and there are different feelings you can have.

“If I would’ve played a 27-year-old Italian wildcard in Rome, I would’ve felt way more comfortable.

“So I walk out there, and the kid was like 6ft 3, 112 pounds, super skinny, and you’re just like, this can go bad for me, all I’m thinking about is, you’ve got to win right, because this is just a bad look, on center court.”

Despite the nerves, the American got off to a strong start, before things quickly unravelled.

“I win the first set, I think it was like 6-1, or 6-2, I was nervous, but he was not so good,” said Johnson.

“I lose the second set badly, I think it was also like 6-1 or 6-2, it was horrible tennis, and then the third set kind of rolls around, I’m like please win, you’ve got to win this, just find a way, find a way.

“I either served for the match, or had match points, and then lost 7-5 I believe.”

Johnson struggled with the loss, finding it hard to see Sinner’s potential.

“I called my agent, I’m like I just lost to this kid, this kid sucks, he’s terrible,” he said.

“I cannot believe, I’m literally quitting tennis for the rest of my life, all of those thoughts went into my head, you’ve just lost to a 17-year-old, it was bad.

“I started talking to my agent, a couple of the other coaches and they’re like give it time, this kid is going to be unreal.

“I was like you guys are so stupid, this guy’s never going to make it anywhere, he’s going to have one win and it’s going to be me.”

The American can now look back fondly upon the defeat, as Sinner has become the undisputed number one player on the planet.

“Little did I know, four years from now he’s going to be making hundred’s of million dollars a year, winning slams, being by far and away the number one player,” Johnson said.

“I’m glad to know I’m a great evaluator of talent.

“Not one of my finer moments in tennis, but ultimately I’m glad to be a footnote in somebody’s very good career.”

Could Jannik Sinner become the best ATP Player of the decade?

The Italian’s breakout 2024, has seen him pushed into conversations as one of the best players of his generation alongside Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz.

Sinner and Alcaraz shared the four Grand Slams this year, and many are tipping them to do so again next season.

But five years into the 2020’s, how close is Sinner to taking the crown as the best player of the decade?

The 23-year-old is currently the fourth-best player of the decade, but there is already some pretty compelling evidence to place him above Rafael Nadal, who retired at the Davis Cup.

The Italian has fewer Grand Slams than the Spaniard, but his time as world number one may well slot him in just behind Novak Djokovic and Alcaraz.

It remains to be seen if Sinner can catch up with Djokovic and Alcaraz ahead of him, but it certainly looks like fans are in for a treat on the ATP Tour over the coming years.