It is finished! At the age of 22, Jannik Sinner can finally call himself a Grand Slam winner (match report>>>).
For the South Tyrolean, it was his first major final at the Australian Open, but with a semi-final appearance and four quarter-finals, he has already had a chance of great triumph a few times in the past.
For many experts it had been clear for years that the somewhat shy-looking redhead from the Italian Alps would one day lift a major trophy.
Sinner thanks his parents and Medvedev
In his victory speech, Sinner first praised Medvedev for his great tournament. “In every match against you I find something where I can improve, you make me a much better player.”
The South Tyrolean also highlighted the Russian’s many hours on the pitch over the past two weeks. “And yet you ran so much. I hope you’ll get the trophy one day too.”
The new champion also thanked his parents for the Australian summer, where it was minus 20 degrees at home. “My parents always let me choose what I wanted to do. I hope that many children have this freedom.”
Medvedev: “It’s better to lose in the final than before”
Medvedev had already praised Sinner before. “Congratulations, Jannik. Today you showed again why you deserve it. You have increased your level enormously,” said Medvedev, who now remains third in the ATP rankings. “It was a great two weeks, even if it hurts to lose in the final. But it’s probably better to lose in the final than before,” the sporting loser caused laughter.
His wife and one-year-old daughter were not there this time. “I hope they didn’t turn off the TV,” joked the Russian. “I’ll try again next time.”
It’s quite possible that Sinner could stand in his way again next time. The Italian has come a long way in the last few months and was already considered by many to be the first candidate for the title in Melbourne before the start of the tournament.
Djokovic refers to Sinner’s “great team”.
Novak Djokovic also had to acknowledge the South Tyrolean’s superiority in the semifinals and took his hat off to Sinner’s development: “He’s on a very good path. His serve has improved a lot. He hits the corners well and he’s also increased his speed. He now serves stronger and more precisely,” said Djokovic.
“His overall movement and his mental strength are better. He was always very calm, very composed on the court, but I think he had problems winning the big matches, the big moments. But now it’s all coming together for him,” The Serb’s words almost read as a prophecy that has come true for the final against Medvedev.
Djokovic also referred to Sinner’s “great team”. Since 2022, the Italian Simone Vagnozzi, who has known Sinner since he was 14, and the Australian tennis expert Darren Cahill have been responsible for the youngster’s sporting successes. Over the last two years, the duo has shaped him into the current world-class man.
Cahill has already formed many top stars
The 58-year-old Cahill has already led Lleyton Hewitt to the top of the world rankings and has also worked with players such as Andre Agassi, Andy Murray, Ana Ivanovic, Fernando Verdasco and Simona Halep. “He has a lot of experience and can help you, especially mentally,” said Djokovic.
Cahill was asked after the Djokovic match what similarities Sinner has with his former champions.
“The work ethic, determination, desire, willingness to learn and tennis IQ of all these champions is fantastic,” Cahill responded. “Jannik has all of that and he has a good sense of humor. I think you can see a bit of him on the pitch in the post-game interviews. We see him every day.”
“He’s a good guy and a fun-loving guy. He likes to be around people he likes, whether it was before we worked with him or now with us on the team. We have a really good feeling within the team,” said Cahill, who also refers to the work of fitness trainer Umberto Ferrara and physio Giacomo Naldi.
Physically matured too
Only he was able to get the 1.88 meter tall Sinner physically able to endure the rigors of a Grand Slam tournament. The comeback in the final against Medvedev confirmed this statement on Sunday.
“Jannik is a very good athlete who has improved a lot over the past year, but still has room for improvement,” said Ferrara, who has been with the team since June 2022, on the ATP homepage at the end of last year.
Naldi only joined in February 2023, and Sinner is in the hands of his physio almost every day. “I work on his muscles every day and try to give his body as good a regeneration as possible,” said Nardi, who infected Sinner with the card game Buraco. Hot battles take place at the gaming table in the Sinner team almost every day.
“There are only nice people in my team”
This fact is particularly important to Sinner: “There are only nice, happy people in my team. I feel good with them and I’m glad that I have them. Everyone is very important to me and I can learn a lot from everyone. If “If I ask someone if they want to work with me, what’s important to me is not only whether they’re the best in their field, but also how well I get along with them. After all, I spend more time with these people than with my family.”
The plan seems to be working. Sinner has improved greatly both playfully and physically in the last few months. Cahill: “The physical part was just as important as the tennis. I think you can see now that he can move more efficiently, that he can maintain the higher level for longer and that he is able to compete in five-set matches consist.”
“I think everyone could see the natural progression that Jannik had to make, but it’s a matter of the coach being able to convey these messages in the right way so that the player believes in them, internalizes them and then implements them on the training pitch in order to finally implement them in the games. And that’s exactly what we’re seeing now,” explains Cahill, explaining the recipe for success.
Similarities to the “Big Three”
But the most important thing for Sinner is a quality that he also shares with the “Big Three” of the last 20 years. Like Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Djokovic, the Italian strives every day to become a little better and stronger.
“That’s what Jannik has always done over the last few years. That’s a great trait and that’s what he has to continue to do. Never stop developing and getting better.”
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2024-01-28 16:25:12
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