Shanghai, Oct 12 : Following his semi-final win at the Shanghai Masters, Jannik Sinner has clinched the ATP year-end No. 1 ranking, becoming the first Italian to achieve the feat.

Sinner became the first man or woman from Italy to reach World No. 1 in singles since computerised rankings were introduced in 1973. He has not relinquished his place since and will retain it at least through the end of the season.

'It's amazing. It's something you dream of when you are a kid, when you are young, just to reach the No. 1. Now having the year-end, it's also a different and special feeling. It means so much to me, obviously. This is something I could not accomplish without all the people I have around the family and friends and also a big credit to my team,' said Sinner.

The 23-year-old is the 19th player to claim year-end World No. 1 and just the fourth active player, joining Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz.

Sinner won the Australian Open to begin his season and has not looked back since. After a battle with Alcaraz throughout the season for year-end No. 1 honours, he has pulled away to claim the prestigious award. He has captured an ATP Tour-leading six titles ' including his first major triumphs at the Australian Open and US Open ' and will try to win his seventh trophy of 2024 in the Shanghai Masters final on Sunday.

By emerging victorious in Melbourne and New York, Sinner became just the third man in the Open Era to claim his first two Grand Slam titles in the same season. He was the first to accomplish the feat since Guillermo Vilas in 1977.

Sinner won his first 16 matches of the year and his record for the season stands at 64-6. The 23-year-old has matched his personal-best wins total from last year when he set the record for most wins by a male player from his country in a single season in the Open Era.

The San Candido native entered the year with one ATP Masters 1000 title and has added two more, lifting trophies in Miami and Cincinnati. He also claimed crowns at ATP 500 events in Rotterdam and Halle.

By adding to his majors total at the US Open, Sinner became one of only four players who have triumphed at the Australian Open and US Open on hard court in the same season. The other three are Djokovic, Roger Federer and Mats Wilander.

Sinner has already held World No. 1 for 17 weeks and will continue adding to his total.

/IANS