New Delhi, May 18 (IANS) Novak Djokovic was quick to congratulate Jannik Sinner after the Italian star etched his name into tennis history with a landmark victory at the Italian Open on Sunday.

Moments after Sinner lifted the trophy in Rome, Djokovic posted a heartfelt message on Instagram, welcoming the World No. 1 into one of the sport’s most exclusive achievements.

“Congratulazioni, Jannik! Impressionante (Congratulations, Jannik! Impressive). Welcome to the exclusive club, Jannik,” Djokovic wrote in his Instagram Story.

Sinner’s triumph in Rome completed the Career Golden Masters, the feat of winning all nine ATP Masters 1000 events at least once. Before Sunday, Djokovic had been the only player to accomplish it, sealing the milestone in 2018 with his Cincinnati Open victory after first capturing a Masters 1000 title in Miami back in 2007.

The 24-year-old Italian reached the milestone in remarkable fashion. After beginning the 2026 season with five Masters 1000 trophies already in his collection, Sinner swept every Masters event held this year, winning titles in Indian Wells, Miami, Monte-Carlo, Madrid, and now Rome.

His victory at the Italian Open also carried historic significance for home fans. Sinner became the first Italian man to win the tournament since Adriano Panatta triumphed in 1976. He also joined Rafael Nadal as only the second player to win all three clay-court Masters 1000 tournaments in a single season, matching Nadal’s 2010 feat.

Speaking after the final, Sinner reflected on the emotional weight of securing the title in front of a home crowd.

“There’s no better place to complete this set. It has been a very, very interesting tournament already back in the years. In 2019, (I made my) debut here on this court. I always felt very positive, but in a different way, a lot of attention, a lot of emotions going through. It means a lot,” Sinner shared after his win.

“I believe for an Italian, it’s one of the most special places we play tennis in. To win at least once in my career means a lot to me. There was definitely a lot of tension, a lot of tough moments I had to go through, especially mentally. Not starting the match in a perfect way, but tried to stay as calm as possible mentally. I’m very happy about this achievement. I know what I played for today, so I’m really happy,” he added.

With the French Open looming, Sinner revealed that recovery and time with family would take priority before shifting his focus to Paris.

“The priority is to recover as much as I can in the next two to three days. There is not going to be a lot of training, Tennis, zero. Physical, (my team and I) need to see. I want to be with my family as well, in this moment. Switching off tennis, then from Thursday onwards, I think I will be in Paris, preparing, and we’ll see how it goes. For now, it’s important to rest,” the Italian stated.

–IANS

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