New world No. 1 Jannik Sinner already looking to Wimbledon

Jannik Sinner of Italy officially moved to the top of the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) world rankings on Monday, becoming the first of his country to do so since the world rankings were initially computerized in 1973.

"I was happy, and then it's kind of a relief," Sinner said. "This is a dream, what I've dreamed of when I was a little kid. It was only a dream that day and then, and now that, you know, that I can say that I'm world number one, it means a lot to me."

As pleased as Sinner was, he's already looking ahead to what comes next.

So, no big party to mark the significance of the occasion?

"Look, not really," Sinner said with a chuckle in an interview with the Associated Press from his home base of Monte Carlo. "I am in the middle of the season. There are very important tournaments coming up – there is Wimbledon. It's a great achievement, which I am going to celebrate with my loved ones, for sure, at some point. Obviously very happy; it's a dream come true. But in other ways, now new challenges are coming up."

The 22-year-old Sinner, who replaced the injured Novak Djokovic atop the ATP rankings, will be the top-seeded man at the All England Club, where play begins on July 1.

He figures his new status, along with his first Grand Slam trophy – from the Australian Open in January – mean opponents view him differently.

"They don't have nothing to lose anymore against me, and I have everything to lose, but this is the exciting part. And I like that ... You have to work on having new solutions on the court, and this is going to be hopefully my next step," Sinner said. "Trying to prepare myself in a way of being more unpredictable on court. This is what I want to learn in the next months."

He is 33-3 in 2024 with three titles.

"In the beginning of the year, we said, 'We are going hunting, and then we'll see what we can catch.' And this now is still the same," Sinner said. "Every tournament is a great opportunity to show something new and to show, also, the (will) to win as much as we can. But you don't forget, also, the process. If you want to become a better tennis player, sometimes you have to miss. Sometimes you have to lose."

(With input from agency)