While winning the ATP 500 event in Rotterdam may not match the thrill of claiming the Australian Open Grand Slam, Jannik Sinner emphasized the significance of his victory, especially as it propelled him to a career-high world ranking of No. 3.
Sinner, who clinched his first major title at Melbourne Park by defeating Daniil Medvedev in the final, extended his winning streak in 2024 to 12 matches with a 7-5, 6-4 win over Alex de Minaur in the Rotterdam final on Sunday.
The 22-year-old's second trophy of the season ensures that he will surpass Medvedev in the rankings when they are updated later on Monday.
"Every time you win a title, it doesn't matter how big; it means a lot," Sinner said.
"I had a bit more attention (as Australian Open champion), but when you earn something, you have to deal with that. I felt like I was trying to put 100% effort into everything I've done and that's the result of this week.
"It's going to start again from zero at Indian Wells, so I'm already trying to improve. Let's see what's coming."
Sinner will look to gain ground on world No. 2 and defending Indian Wells champion Carlos Alcaraz in the hardcourt tournament next month.
"My team, we did a really good job a few weeks ago and now we did a very good job here. I'm really proud of the level I played throughout the week," he said.
"We've been in tough situations but we handled it the right way. We'll always try to improve, it's the most important."
