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In a summer of transition from the clay courts of Europe to the hard courts of North America, the third quarter of the ATP Tour season was filled with new records and a wave of first-time champions.

Jannik Sinner's dominance continued as he clinched his second Grand Slam title at the US Open, while the World No. 1 also won his third ATP Masters 1000 title at the Cincinnati Open. Novak Djokovic took a long-awaited first gold medal home at the Paris Olympics. In early August, Alexei Popyrin became a first-time ATP Masters 1000 winner by clinching the Montreal crown.

ATPTour.com reflects on the champions from the third quarter of 2024.

Jannik Sinner: US Open and Cincinnati
The Australian Open champion and World No. 1 solidified his position atop the PIF ATP Rankings with wins at the US Open and the Cincinnati Open. Enjoying his best season on Tour, Sinner beat American Taylor Fritz in the final of the US Open to become the first Italian man to win the hard-court major. With the title in New York, he also became the youngest man to win both hard-court Grand Slam titles in a single season.

"So many big wins for me this season, starting off with Australia," said Sinner after winning the US Open. "Playing so well there gave me confidence. The work never stops. I know I can still improve, as we saw today, a couple of things. But you have to be proud with what you have and the rest you have to work for it. I can't wait for my continued process."

Carlos Alcaraz and Tomas Machac were locked at a set a piece Wednesday when the 23-year-old from the Czech Republic was forced to retire due to cramps in the Davis Cup Finals Group Stage clash. Roberto Bautista Agut won the opening singles match against Jiri Lehecka 7-6(1), 6-4, ensuring that Spain would later secure a 2-0 win against the Czech Republic in Group B action.

Alcaraz dropped the opening set 6-7(3), but fought back to level the match with a convincing 6-1 second set. Machac retired in the opening game of the deciding set after one hour, 38 minutes of play in Valencia. When Machac could not continue, he hunched over his knees and struggled to walk towards the net. Alcaraz warmly embraced his opponent.

"I think after a really difficult and tough first set, I knew that I had to stay tough, stay positive and play long rallies," Alcaraz said. "I think he played more matches in the American swing. He played tough matches in New York. Then coming here, different conditions, different everything. It's difficult to get used to."

That touch though ?@DavisCup | #DavisCup | @carlosalcaraz

pic.twitter.com/qFeN0wVMPa

The World No. 3 in the PIF ATP Rankings dropped just four points behind his first serve and produced superb all-court coverage throughout his first match since falling in the US Open second round. Machac enjoyed a career-best Slam result at Flushing Meadows, where he reached the fourth round before falling to eventual semi-finalist Jack Draper.

The United States swept Chile 3-0 in Wednesday’s Davis Cup Finals Group Stage clash, but the victory was less straightforward than the scoreline suggested. The Americans needed a deciding-set tie-break in all three matches in Zhuhai.

Reilly Opelka and Brandon Nakashima led the singles charge before Austin Krajicek and Rajeev Ram secured the clean sweep for Team USA.

“It was truly an epic day of tennis for both teams," said United States team captain Bob Bryan. "Everyone showed a lot of heart, a lot of guts. Hats off to the Chileans. Hats off to our guys who were really digging deep, especially in the big moments.

"I don’t think it’s ever happened in Davis Cup that all matches went to the third-set breaker… historic day. Just feeling very, very proud of the players.”

Opelka began the day by hammering 27 aces to edge past Cristian Garin 6-3, 3-6, 7-6(3) and improve to 2-1 in their Lexus ATP Head2Head series.

The sound is thunderous, yet crisp and precise. Ballstriking that features a skillful blend of finesse and ferocity — each shot impeccably clean, but carrying a lethal force that overwhelms opponents.

Regardless of wing, Jannik Sinner is dominating the ATP Tour this season from the back of the court. The longer the rallies, the harder he pummels the ball, without dropping in consistency.

The Italian's groundstrokes, intimidating as they are technically flawless, have placed him in a rare position of holding first place in both forehand shot quality (8.8) and backhand shot quality (8.48), according to Tennis Data Innovations, in partnership with TennisViz. It makes sense why Sinner is the runaway leader in the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin, tallying 9,000 ranking points, 2,885 more than second-placed Alexander Zverev.

The Champ @usopen ??@janniksin is dominating the Race to Turin leaderboard with an impressive 9⃣0⃣0⃣0⃣points?

Take a look at his standout #Insights numbers for the 2024 season so far?#TennisInsights | @atptour pic.twitter.com/S0R5xGHhIB

The World No. 1, who also leads in return quality (8.04), is crushing his forehand at an average speed of 78 mph this season, five mph faster than the Tour average. It is a similar story with his two-handed backhand, which the 23-year-old hits on average at 73 mph, compared to the Tour-average 66 mph.

Canada made a winning start to its Group D Davis Cup Finals Group Stage on Tuesday in Manchester, where Felix Auger-Aliassime and Denis Shapovalov earned singles victories to underpin their country's 2-1 victory over Argentina.

In the opening match of the day, Shapovalov moved past Francisco Cerundolo 7-5, 6-3 to earn victory against the No. 31 player in the PIF ATP Rankings after one hour and 37 minutes.

Shapovalov converted all four break points he conjured up and capitalised on an erratic performance from Cerundolo, who committed 51 unforced errors.

World No. 21 Auger-Aliassime then walked onto court and brushed past Sebastian Baez 6-3, 6-3. Auger-Aliassime suffered a disappointing first-round exit at the US Open last month but looked in control throughout on the indoor hard courts in Manchester.

Argentina's doubles specialists Maximo Gonzalez and Andres Molteni then scored a 2-6, 6-3, 6-2 victory against Shapovalov and Vasek Pospisil after fending off 14 of the 16 break points they faced.

Playing smart tennis involves more than just hitting the ball hard. It's about using strategy, technique, and mental toughness to outsmart your opponent. Here's a guide to help you play smart tennis: 1. Understand Your Game and Your OpponentKnow Your Strengths and Weaknesses: Identify your best shots and areas that need improvement. Use your streng...

Several #NextGenATP stars impressed on the biggest stages of the ATP Tour in recent months, claiming Top 20 victories and challenging for titles.

Alex Michelsen advanced to two ATP Tour finals in both Newport and Winston-Salem, Shang Juncheng notched up a Top 20 win over top seed Ben Shelton in Atlanta and Jakub Mensik had a run to the third round of the US Open.

Learner Tien and Joao Fonseca both broke new ground with debut ATP Challenger Tour crowns, while Arthur Fils continued his strong ascent with his biggest ATP title so far in Hamburg. 

ATPTour.com looks at the current standings in the current PIF ATP Live Race To Jeddah ahead of the NextGen ATP Finals presented by PIF, to be held from 18-22 December.

View PIF ATP Live Race to Jeddah

For players with aspirations of competing on the biggest stages on the ATP Tour and in Grand Slam tournaments, it all begins on the ATP Challenger Tour. Such was the case for Jannik Sinner, who claimed his second major title Sunday at the US Open.

Roughly five years before his second Slam trophy, the Italian was lifting the trophy at the ATP Challenger Tour event in Lexington, Kentucky as a 17-year-old.

Is this a good omen for Joao Fonseca, the Brazilian who last month claimed the Lexington Challenger title just one day younger than Sinner? The #NextGenATP star’s triumph in Kentucky headlines key moments on the ATP Challenger Tour from Q3:

Fast-Rising Fonseca:
Less than a year removed from winning the 2023 US Open boys’ singles event, Fonseca did not drop a set en route to claiming his first ATP Challenger Tour title in Lexington. The Rio de Janeiro native, who turned 18 two-and-a-half weeks after his triumph, is the youngest Brazilian to win an ATP Challenger Tour title.

“In the ceremony, they gave me the trophy and announced, ‘Lexington is the first Challenger to have three 17-year-old champions. He said, 'Shang Juncheng [2022], Jannik Sinner [2019],'” recalled Fonseca, sixth in the PIF ATP Live Race To Jeddah. “That’s really nice.”

Carlos Alcaraz will look to channel home support this week as he seeks a quick response to his US Open disappointment at the Davis Cup Finals Group Stage.

The No. 3 in the PIF ATP Rankings, who was upset by Botic van de Zandschulp in the second round in New York, will lead six-time champion Spain’s Group B campaign in Valencia. Alcaraz will be representing his country at the ‘World Cup of Tennis’ for the first time since 2022.

Joining the Roland Garros and Wimbledon champion in representing their country in Group B are World No. 11 Alex de Minaur (Australia), No. 18 Ugo Humbert (France) and No. 37 Jiri Lehecka (Czechia). All four nations competing at the Pabellon Fuente de San Luis are former Davis Cup champions.

Australia's Alex de Minaur in action during the 2023 Davis Cup Final. (Photo credit: Clive Brunskill/Getty Images for ITF)

A host of ATP Tour stars will also be in action in Bologna, Manchester and Zhuhai as group stage action takes place from 10-15 September. The winners and runners-up of each group will advance to the Davis Cup Finals Knockout Stage, to be held in Malaga from 19-24 November, when the 2024 Davis Cup champions will be decided.

A trio of veteran players lifted trophies on the ATP Challenger Tour this past week, including Frenchman Richard Gasquet, who became the third-oldest champion at that level. Fellow tour-veteran Damir Dzumhur claimed a season-leading fifth Challenger title while Roberto Carballes Baena won in Seville for the third consecutive year.

Gasquet, 38, triumphed on home soil at the Cassis Open Provence by Cabesto, where he rallied past Austrian Jurij Rodionov 3-6, 6-1, 6-2 in the final. Due to rain, the championship match was forced to finish Monday with Gasquet leading 3-2, 40/0 in the final set. The former World No. 8 in the PIF ATP Rankings wasted no time upon resumption to earn his 10th Challenger title and first since 2017.

“I’m very proud. Winning a tournament is always special," Gasquet said. "I came after a bad US Open, so I tried my best to survive the first two rounds and then I started to play well. It feels great to win another tournament. It gives me a lot of confidence for the rest of the season.”

Oldest champions on the ATP Challenger Tour since 1978

Dzumhur strengthened his claim as the ATP Challenger Tour’s season leader in singles trophies (five) by successfully defending his title at the Istanbul Challenger TED Open. The 32-year-old, who returned to the Top 100 in August for the first time since 2020, downed Hamad Medjedovic 6-4, 6-2 in the title match.

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Wins at the US Open for Alex Michelsen, Shang Juncheng and Jakub Mensik have enhanced the trio's chances of qualifying for the Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF, which takes place from 18-22 December.

The 19-year-old Shang earned wins against Alexander Bublik and Roberto Carballes Baena to reach the third round at a major for the second time. The Chinese lefty, who advanced to the last 32 in Melbourne in January, pushed former finalist Casper Ruud to five sets in the third round but ultimately fell short.

Shang, who is third in the PIF ATP Live Race To Jeddah, will next head to Asia, where he will compete on home soil at the ATP 250 event in Chengdu.

PIF ATP Live Race To Jeddah

Czech Jakub Mensik advanced to the third round at Flushing Meadows in 2023 and was back at it in 2024. The 19-year-old, currently fourth in the PIF ATP Live Race To Jeddah, held three match points against Nuno Borges in the third round but ultimately fell just short of reaching the fourth round at a Slam for the first time.

Renowned coach Darren Cahill has helped Jannik Sinner surge to new heights since joining the team in July 2022.

The 23-year-old won his first major title under Cahill’s guidance at the Australian Open in January and then rose to No. 1 in the PIF ATP Rankings for the first time in June. On Sunday afternoon in New York, Sinner bookended his standout major season by capturing the title at the US Open.

Following Sinner’s victory, Cahill spoke to ESPN about the Italian’s journey and elite mindset during his US Open run.

“He was ready today,” Cahill told ESPN. “There was a difference between Australia and here. I think in Australia when you’re going for your first, those nerves, it was the first major final that he’d ever been in. There were more nerves. And maybe even some more expectations as well because he had beaten Medvedev a few times. And to get over that hump and that hurdle. I think it gives you incredible confidence that no matter what, you are going to be able to handle situations.

“This morning he practised well. This morning we were talking to Andre Agassi in the locker room. He was talking about his game, and his mentality, and his composure also in the big moments. Even when he was tested in that third set, I still felt like he felt like he could get back into it and turn it around which he was able to do. So, he’s got this champion mindset that I think a lot of players don’t have. Certain players do have it for sure. But I believe he was born with it and he loves those situations and those moments.”

With just two months to go until the Nitto ATP Finals, the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin is starting to heat up. Jannik Sinner and Alexander Zverev have already qualified for the prestigious year-end event but behind them, there are a host of stars aiming to finish in the Top 8 and qualify for Turin.

ATPTour.com looks at the movers of the week in the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin as of Monday, 9 September following the US Open.

Fifth (3,890 points) - Taylor Fritz, +5
Fritz has climbed five spots to fifth in the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin after he became the first American man to reach a major final since Andy Roddick at Wimbledon in 2009. The 26-year-old, who defeated Alexander Zverev, Casper Ruud and Frances Tiafoe in New York, is aiming to make his second appearance at the Nitto ATP Finals. He reached the semi-finals in 2022.

View The PIF ATP Live Race To Turin

Eighth (3,305 points) - Alex de Minaur
The Australian remains in strong contention to qualify for the Nitto ATP Finals for the first time after he advanced to the quarter-finals at a major for the third time this season at Flushing Meadows. De Minaur has won tour-level titles in Acapulco and ‘s-Hertogenbosch in 2024.

Fresh from the experience of his first Grand Slam final, Taylor Fritz is confident that it won’t be his last.

Despite his failed quest to become the United States’ first Grand Slam champion since Andy Roddick triumphed at Flushing Meadows in 2003, the Californian believes that he is capable of similar deep runs in the future.

"It is a great feeling to have gotten to this point, knowing that I'm playing well, but I'm playing very within myself, and I feel like it's repeatable,” he shared.

Fritz fell to World No. 1 Jannik Sinner 6-3, 6-4, 7-5 after a strong run to his first major final, that included wins over Top 10 stars Alexander Zverev and Casper Ruud.

“I think the biggest thing is that I played solid this week, but I played very within myself. I don't think I at any point, was, like, wow, I'm playing incredible, or I'm playing out of my mind,” he said.

Jannik Sinner on Sunday became the first player since Guillermo Vilas in 1977 to win his first two Grand Slam titles in the same season. But this year’s Australian Open and US Open champion has no intention of slowing down.

The No. 1 player in the PIF ATP Rankings is keen to continue pushing forward.

“For sure winning the first Grand Slam of the year gives you confidence, it gives you good feelings. But in the other way, you always have to work. It never stops,” Sinner said. “It's like you always keep going and keep going. Until now I didn't have so much time off to say, ‘Okay, you have done a great job’.

“It's big thanks also to my team, because we always try some new work, some new things out, tactically. How can you play better against certain opponents? How do you work on such shots? Whatever you feel better or not, I was a lot in the gym, because I knew physically I still had to improve and I still have to improve a lot.”

A lot of hard work has gone into Sinner’s ascent in 2024. Before he lifted two major trophies, he spent countless hours in the gym and on the practice court refining his game.

Sixty baseline points won to 32.

Jannik Sinner was basically twice as good as Taylor Fritz from the back of the court in winning the US Open men’s singles title on Sunday.

Sinner won 6-3, 6-4, 7-5 on the back of dominating bruising baseline exchanges that constantly had Fritz struggling to hang with his more powerful adversary. Fritz had won 49.8 per cent (328/659) of his baseline points leading into the final, but that match metric got crushed down to a lowly 34 per cent (32/94) against the rampaging Italian.

Baseline dominance has been the leading story of Sinner’s title-run in New York. Overall, he won 53.2 per cent (386/726) of baseline points in seven matches to take the title. What he did to opponents was head-turning.

Baseline Points Won By Sinner’s Opponents

Carlos Alcaraz quickly congratulated his rival Jannik Sinner on Sunday after the Italian defeated Taylor Fritz 6-3, 6-4, 7-5 for the US Open title.

“?You deserve it!??” Alcaraz wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter. “Enjoy the moment.”

Alcaraz and Sinner’s Lexus ATP Head2Head rivalry has become a must-watch spectacle. The two superstars, aged 21 and 23, respectively, split the four Grand Slam tournament titles this season.

Alcaraz suffered a shock second-round defeat at the US Open to Botic van de Zandschulp, but followed along and shared his message for the Italian within minutes of the match ending.

ATPTour.com looks at social media reaction to Sinner's victory.

Jannik Sinner bookended his standout Grand Slam year with his second major title on Sunday afternoon, when the Italian defeated Taylor Fritz 6-3, 6-4, 7-5 to lift the trophy at the US Open.

The 23-year-old delivered a high-quality display to dash home hope Fritz’s title dreams and clearly showcase why he has risen to the top of the game in the past 18 months. World No. 1 Sinner has now won a Tour-leading six titles in a stunning 2024 season and has moved 4,105 points clear of his nearest challenger Alexander Zverev in the battle to claim ATP Year-End No. 1 presented by PIF honours.

A buoyant atmosphere greeted Sunday’s finalists inside Arthur Ashe Stadium, where Fritz stepped on court as the first American men’s singles finalist since 2006, but Sinner punctured it with a cool, controlled display of precise serving and clean baseline hitting. The Italian, who is the first man to claim his first two Grand Slam titles in the same season for 47 years, made just 21 unforced errors across three sets in which his relentlessness ultimately overwhelmed Fritz.

With Carlos Alcaraz also winning Roland Garros and Wimbledon this season, it is the first time since 1993 that all four majors in the same year have been won by players 23 or younger. “It’s nice to see for the sport some new champions. I feel like the new generation we push each other, trying to improve,” Sinner told ESPN.

Earlier, during the trophy ceremony, Sinner said: "This title for me means so much; the last period of my career was not easy. There is my team who supports me every day, the people who are close to me.

Jannik Sinner has accomplished a feat that had not been done in 47 years.

Sinner became the third man in the Open Era to claim his first two Grand Slam titles in the same season. The Italian defeated Taylor Fritz on Sunday to lift the US Open trophy, adding to his Australian Open title from January.

Some of the best players in history — including Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi — did not win their first two majors in the same season. The last player who did was Guillermo Vilas, who emerged victorious at Roland Garros and the US Open in 1977.

[ATP APP]

Entering the year, Sinner had reached just one semi-final at a Grand Slam tournament. This year he tallied a 23-2 record at the majors.