Predestined Sinner: “Agassi 2.0”. That’s when Jannik became Djokovic’s nightmare

Jannik Sinner, the predestined of Italian tennis. That victory at the 2019 Next Generation ATP

Jannik Sinner is establishing himself in recent weeks as a possible (probable) heir to Novak Djokovic on the throne of the world’s first player (but anyone who thinks that Nole wants to abdicate is naive to say the least). That he and Carlos Alcaraz (not forgetting Holger Rune) were predestined had been clear for several years. The growth of the blue champion, however, was gradual, without sudden changes. One step at a time, year after year.

The first blows in 2019, when the tennis player born in San Candido in Trentino Alto Adige – just over eighteen years old – wins the Next Generation ATP Finals (in Milan in the final with De Minaur then defeated a few hours ago in the final act of the Davis Cup), the tournament for the best under 21s in the world – and was then chosen as the revelation tennis player of the year. His best ranking? It’s top 80 in the world. In 2020 the quarter-finals at Roland Garros arrive (defeated in 3 sets by the lord of red, Rafa Nadal, after eliminating a world top player of the caliber of Alexander Zverev) and the first tournament won: the ATP 250 in Sofia becoming the youngest (19 years, two months and 29 days) Italian tennis player to have won an ATP title in the Open era. And the world top-40 are reached.

Jannik Sinner predestined for Italian tennis: the Slam quarterfinals, the Wimbledon semi-final and the first Master 1000

Then the first big bang in 2021 with four ATP titles (the 250 in Melbourne 1, Sofia, Antwerp and the first 500 in Washington), the final reached in the Miami 1000 (defeated by Hubert Hurkacz) and reaching the top 10 in the world (number 9 in the ranking) with participation in the ATP Finals (where he comes from reserve and takes over from Matteo Berrettini who gets injured). In 2022 he will reach 3 quarter-finals in the Slams: first in Australia (defeated in 3 sets by the Greek Tsitsipas)then to Wimbledon (beat by Novak Djokovic after being ahead 2 sets to 0) finally allo US Open (he lost in 5 sets with Carlos Alcaraz who canceled out a match point, a Slind Doors match, the Spaniard then went on to win the tournament).

And we are in magical 2023 with four ATP titles, semi-final at Wimbledon (lost in 3 sets to Djokovic but fighting much more than the score indicated), the first Masters 1000 title (in Toronto), the ride until final at the ATP Finals (lost to Djokovic after beating him in the groups) and the Davis Cup victory in the final against Australia after eliminating Nole’s Serbia in the semifinal.

Jannik Sinner, the predestined of Italian tennis: the ‘scalps’ of Djokovic, Medvedev and Alcaraz

Djokovic’s is the last scalp. But this autumn Sinner had already taken Daniil Medvedev’s, number 3 in the world and his bête noire until a few weeks ago: the Russian led 6-0, before losing two finals (Master 500 Beijing and Vienna) and the semi-final at the ATP Finals. It was in Turin that he also beat the Danish golden boy Holger Rune (who had defeated him in the two previous matches, in the semifinal at Monte Carlo 2023 he had a decisive match on a few points in the final rush). While the rivalry with Carlos Alcaraz is a 2-2 draw which promises many more epic clashes in the future.

All things considered, the only world super top with whom Sinner has never won is Rafael Nadal (3-0 for the left-handed player from Manacor), but this year the two never faced each other due to the injury that kept the Spaniard out for the entire season.

Jannik Sinner’s ATP ranking reads number 4 in the world and the feeling is that the next step will be ‘towards’ number 1 with victories in the Slams attached.

Sinner, predestined of Italian tennis: Agassì 2.0. So Jannik has turned the corner and is now shaking Djokovic’s kingdom

These are the results. But the growth of the predestined Jannik Sinner has been in his game and mental attitude in recent years. In the past, the Italian tennis player was compared to Andrè Agassi for that innate gift that he shares with the former Las Vegas kid in attacking from the baseline: quick, solid, ahead of the ball and with a constant search for winning shots.

But that was the first Sinner. The turning point and the evolution occurred in the last year and a half have made him an even more complete tennis player. A courageous choice dated 2022: when Jannik decided to change coach to look for new ways in his way of playing. Not something for everyone, the courage to leave the comfort zone to test yourself. So here is the arrival of Simone Vagnozzi first (in February) and the former Australian tennis player (in supercoach version) Darren Cahill immediately afterwards (July 2022). Looking for winning variations with a hint of serves & volleyballgrowth and effectiveness of descents to the net (big improvements in this area), the backhand in slicein addition to theincreasingly skilful use of the muffled. Without forgetting the service which is now scary: the first is solid (which runs fast even over 200 per hour when you have to ‘hit hard’ but is poisonous when Jannik works it with external trajectories), the second is much safer and less attackable than in the past.

From a mental point of view then he knows how to be glacial in hot moments: he is not afraid of pressure, on the contrary, he has the gift of great champions to exalt himself in those phases of the game.

Subscribe to the newsletter