Jannik Sinner brought Novak Djokovic's 21-match win streak in the Davis Cup competition to a screeching halt on Saturday as he secured a much-needed singles win.
It drew Italy level in the semifinal which will be decided in doubles after Miomir Kecmanovic had scored Serbia's first point again, beating Lorenzo Musetti in three sets. The 22-year-old Sinner authored the shock win over the World No. 1 by saving three successive match points late in the third set.
Sinner not only inflicted the fourth defeat in Djokovic's illustrious career in which he lost after holding a match point, but he simultaneously joined a gaudy list of players to beat the 24-time Grand Slam champion in successive weeks.
It should not have escaped anyone's mind that Sinner had actually defeated Djokovic a week ago at the ATP Finals group stage. That win was particularly significant for a couple of reasons. It was the first time Sinner had won in the series, having gone 0-3 before that.
Secondly, it ended Djokovic's 19-match unbeaten streak in all competitions this season. And Sinner put paid to Djokovic's quest to lead Serbia to a second Davis Cup title at least momentarily by ending another streak.
Only three players have beaten Djokovic for two weeks on the trot on tour. The first was Mikhail Youzhny who defeated Djokovic on the indoor hard courts of Marseille and Rotterdam in 2007. Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray did it in the same season a year later.
The Spaniard defeated Djokovic in the semifinal of the 2008 Roland Garros and the finals at Queen's. Murray did it in North America, winning in Toronto (quarterfinals) and Cincinnati (final).
Sinner now finds himself in an exclusive club, beating Djokovic at the ATP Finals in his home country this past week and now at the Davis Cup in Malaga, precisely 15 years on since Murray became the last man to achieve this feat.
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