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Jannik Sinner becomes first man since Lleyton Hewitt to win debut event as Grand Slam champ

Fifteen players were unsuccessful in between the Australian and Italian, including the illustrious Big 3 members.

By Matt Fitzgerald
MATCH POINT: J. Sinner def. A. de Minaur; Rotterdam F0:51

On Sunday, Jannik Sinner remained perfect in 2024 when he captured the ABN AMRO Open title in Rotterdam to add to January's breakthrough triumph at the Australian Open.

Among his accomplishments that included increasing his unbeaten run to 15 matches, the 22-year-old achieved a feat that hadn’t been seen on the ATP Tour since 2001.

Sinner became the first man since Lleyton Hewitt to win his debut event as a Grand Slam champion. Fifteen players were unsuccessful in between the Australian and Italian, with a handful having the benefit of suiting up for team competitions in between appearances. Sinner was the first to even reach a final in nearly 20 years, after Gaston Gaudio.

A stroll down memory lane on how we arrived to this point:

Italy's Jannik Sinner poses with the trophy after beating Australia's Alex de Minaur in the men's singles ABN AMRO Rotterdam Open tennis tournament in Ahoy, Rotterdam on February 18, 2024. Italy's Jannik Sinner powered to his first Rotterdam Open title on February 18, 2024, breaking down a determined defensive effort from Australia's Alex De Minaur to win 7-5, 6-4 in a high-quality battle. (Photo by Sander Koning / ANP / AFP) / Netherlands OUT (Photo by SANDER KONING/ANP/AFP via Getty Images)
© ANP/AFP via Getty Images

Jannik Sinner

  • Maiden major title: 2024 Australian Open
  • Next tour-level tournament: Rotterdam – defeated Alex de Minaur in the final, 7-5, 6-4

Carlos Alcaraz

  • Maiden major title: 2022 US Open
  • Next tour-level tournament: Astana – lost opening match to David Goffin
  • Note: Alcaraz played a match before traveling to Kazakhstan, losing to Felix Auger-Aliassime in the Davis Cup Finals group stage at Valencia.

Daniil Medvedev

  • Maiden major title: 2021 US Open
  • Next tour-level tournament: Indian Wells – lost third match in fourth round to Grigor Dimitrov
  • Note: Like Alcaraz, Medvedev made a one-off appearance, defeating Denis Shapovalov for Team Europe at the Laver Cup in Boston.
PARIS, FRANCE October 06. Dominic Thiem of Austria congratulates winner Diego Schwartzman of Argentina as they meet at the net after the Quarter Finals of the Men's Singles competition on Court Philippe-Chatrier during the French Open Tennis Tournament at Roland Garros on October 6th 2020 in Paris, France. (Photo by Tim Clayton/Corbis via Getty Images)
© Corbis via Getty Images

Dominic Thiem

  • Maiden major title: 2020 US Open
  • Next tour-level tournament: Roland Garros – lost fifth match in quarterfinals to Diego Schwartzman

Marin Cilic

  • Maiden major title: 2014 US Open
  • Next tour-level tournament: Beijing – lost third match in quarterfinals to Andy Murray
  • Note: Suited up for Croatia in a World Group Play-off that September, defeating Thiemo de Bakker in four sets.

Stan Wawrinka

  • Maiden major title: 2014 Australian Open
  • Next tour-level tournament: Indian Wells – lost third match in fourth round to Kevin Anderson
  • Note: Represented Switzerland in February’s Davis Cup World Group first round, overcoming Serbia’s Dusan Lajovic in four sets.
Andy Murray of Great Britain shakes hands with Milos Raonic during his loss at the Rakuten Open, Tokyo, 2012 (Photo by AMA/Corbis via Getty Images)
© Copyright 2012 © Matthew Ashton/AMA AMA SPORTS PHOTO AGENCY 07885 163164 / +44 7885163164

Andy Murray

  • Maiden major title: 2012 US Open
  • Next tour-level tournament: Tokyo – lost fourth match in semifinals to Milos Raonic

Juan Martin del Potro

  • Maiden major title: 2009 US Open
  • Next tour-level tournament: Tokyo – lost first match in first round to Edouard Roger-Vasselin

Novak Djokovic

  • Maiden major title: 2008 Australian Open
  • Next tour-level tournament: Marseille – lost second match in second round to Gilles Simon
  • Note: Retired with flu-like symptoms during Davis Cup World Group first round rubber in February preceding Marseille after leading Nikolay Davydenko by two sets to one.
HALLE, GERMANY - JUNE 08: Rafael Nadal of Spain falls down after the match point for Waske. Nadal loose against Alexander Waske of Germany in 3 sets during the Gerry Weber Open on June 8, 2005 in Halle, Germany. (Photo by Andreas Rentz/Bongarts/Getty Images)
© 2005 Getty Images

Rafael Nadal

  • Maiden major title: 2005 Roland Garros
  • Next tour-level tournament: Halle – lost first match in first round to Alexander Waske

Gaston Gaudio

  • Maiden major title: 2004 Roland Garros
  • Next tour-level tournament: Bastad – lost fifth match in final to Mariano Zabaleta, 6-1, 4-6, 7-6 (4)

Andy Roddick

  • Maiden major title: 2003 US Open
  • Next tour-level tournament: Madrid – lost second match in third round to Nicolas Massu
  • Note: Had played two Davis Cup World Group Play-off rubbers for the U.S., losing his first to Dominik Hrbaty and winning his second against Karol Beck.
Roger Federer of Switzerland returns a ball during the semi final game against Gaston Gaudio of Argentina during the Allianz Suisse Open in Gstaad, Switzerland, Saturday, July 12, 2003. Federer won the match in two sets 6-1, 7-6. (AP Photo/Keystone, Yoshiko Kusano)
© AP

Roger Federer

  • Maiden major title: 2003 Wimbledon
  • Next tour-level tournament: Gstaad – lost fifth match in final to Jiri Novak, 5-7, 6-3, 6-3, 1-6, 6-3

Juan Carlos Ferrero

  • Maiden major title: 2003 Roland Garros
  • Next tour-level tournament: Wimbledon – lost fourth match in fourth round to Sebastian Grosjean

Albert Costa

  • Maiden major title: 2002 Roland Garros
  • Next tour-level tournament: Gstaad – lost first match in first round to Paul-Henri Mathieu
STUTTGART, GERMANY - OCTOBER 16: MASTERS SERIES 2001, Stuttgart; JUBEL Lleyton HEWITT/AUS (Photo by Anja Heinemann/Bongarts/Getty Images)
© Bongarts/Getty Images

Thomas Johansson

  • Maiden major title: 2002 Australian Open
  • Next tour-level tournament: Marseille – lost first match in first round to Greg Rusedski
  • Note: Had beaten Rusedski days earlier in a Davis Cup World Group first-round tie.

Lleyton Hewitt

  • Maiden major title: 2001 US Open
  • Next tour-level tournament: Tokyo – defeated Michel Kratochvil in the final, 6-4, 6-2
  • Note: Before arriving, led Australia past Sweden in Davis Cup semifinals with wins over Jonas Bjorkman and Thomas Johansson.