Fils and Cilic, also among the winners of the month
In an action-packed September on the ATP Tour, Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz reached even more milestones in their respective careers.
In China, new faces joined the old ones in the winner’s circle to kick off the Asian tour: Marin Cilic returned with a title in Hangzhou, and Shang Juncheng made his debut as champion in front of his home fans in Chengdu.
US Open, New York – Jannik Sinner
Jannik Sinner capped a dazzling Grand Slam season by lifting his second major at the US Open, adding to his triumph at the Australian Open in January. The 23-year-old rose to the challenge posed in the final by local hope Taylor Fritz, who was bidding to become the first American to triumph at this level since Andy Roddick at the 2003 US Open. It was a brave performance of Sinner during the fortnight, and finally raised his level to widen his lead over Alexander Zverev and Alcaraz in the battle to take the year-end No. 1, an honor presented by PIF.
Photo: AFP/Getty Images
Chengdu Open, Chengdu – Shang Juncheng
It was fitting that Shang Juncheng’s first ATP Tour title came on home soil in China, underpinning the impressive rise the 19-year-old star has experienced since last year. With his fairytale run in Chengdu, which included a commanding 7-6(4), 6-1 victory over top seed Lorenzo Musetti in the final, the striking left-hander showed why he is one of the most promising talents in the Tour, becoming the second Chinese to lift an ATP title (and first since Yibing Wu in Dallas 2023). With this victory, Shang reinforced his hopes of qualifying for the Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF, consolidating his third place in the PIF ATP Live Race To Jeddah.
Hangzhou Open, Hangzhou – Marin Cilic
Marin Cilic etched his name into the history books with his title in Hangzhou, becoming the lowest-ranked ATP Tour champion since 1990. Arriving in China as No. 777 in the PIF ATP Rankings, the 35-year-old was able to rekindle some of his most impressive tennis to claim victory over Brandon Nakashima and prevent Zhang Zhizhen from creating more Chinese history in the final with a thrilling straight sets victory, 7-6 (5), 7-6 (5).
Laver Cup, Berlin – Team Europe
It was Alcaraz who stole the show in his Laver Cup debut, pulling Team Europa back from the brink of defeat and leading the group to victory over Team Mundial in a thrilling 13-11 comeback victory. Going into Sunday’s final, Bjorn Borg’s team was facing a 4-8 deficit to John McEnroe’s men. Still, the Spaniard scored crucial victories in both doubles and singles to taste victory. After Borg and McEnroe’s seven-year tenure as Laver Cup captains, Yannick Noah and Andre Agassi will take over from 2025.
Photo: AFP/Getty Images
Kinoshita Group Japan Open Tennis Championships, Japan – Arthur Fils
Arthur Fils recovered from the brink of defeat, saving a championship point against compatriot Ugo Humbert in the Tokyo final to triumph 5-7, 7-6 (6), 6-3 and claim his second ATP 500 title in 2024. A dazzling week in the Japanese capital saw the 20-year-old star secure four wins over Top 20 opponents including top seed Fritz, defending champion Ben Shelton, Holger Rune and Humbert. The Frenchman was forced to battle physical problems in each of the rounds since his quarter-final match, but ultimately kept his cool to extend his lead at the top of the PIF ATP Live Race To Jeddah.
China Open, Beijing – Carlos Alcaraz
Alcaraz began his 2024 Asian tour in force by winning his fourth title of the year in the Chinese capital. The 21-year-old came back from the brink of defeat in a gripping final against Sinner that was decided by the slimmest of margins, reflecting the all-consuming nature of their rivalry. Alcaraz, who claimed a 6-7 (6), 6-4, 7-6 (3) victory, became the first man to win an ATP 500 on hard courts, clay and grass in the history of the category. (created in 2009).
