Jannik Sinner is becoming a legend of Italian tennis at only 23 years old. The native of San Candido is incredibly talented and his illustrious predecessors are totally won over by his tennis and all predict a bright future for him.
After Nicola Pietrangeli who wished his young compatriot to surpass all his records, it was Paolo Bertolucci’s turn to write a huge column for the Gazetta.
Sinner: A mix of the greatest players on the planet
According to Bertolucci, the world number one has all the qualities of the greatest players on the planet: ” Perhaps in twenty years, when his career is over and, hopefully, with many Slam trophies in his trophy cabinet, when we talk about Jannik Sinner we will refer to him as the Fab Five, emphasizing his closeness, both technically and in terms of values, to Federer, Nadal, Djokovic and Murray, the phenomena of a golden and, in some ways, irreplaceable generation.
The juxtaposition may seem risky, but in many ways we can recognise in the champion from Sesto Pusteria the traits of the Fantastic Four who have dominated tennis over the last twenty years.
It is undeniable, for example, that the always proactive body language in the most delicate phases of the match, the fierce determination not to give up a single point, the almost inhuman coldness with which he manages to get the most out of his game when the point counts most, bring him closer to the best version of Rafael Nadal.
Both, although they express it in different ways, are exceptional fighters who know how to surpass themselves when the situation on the court seems to present insoluble situations, while maintaining a composure that allows them not to waste their energy unnecessarily.
If, on the other hand, we look at a more purely technical aspect, it is not difficult to detect in the slide to the left to hit the backhand with two hands with maximum extension, a projection of Novak Djokovic. The Serb also has the ability to read his opponent’s serve in advance, in order to prepare in most cases a response that will put the server in difficulty: they are undoubtedly the best interpreters of this principle on the circuit.
When Jannik was first starting out, many identified a similarity to Murray in his constant propensity to push from the back, the ball accelerating and going faster with each exchange.
Sinner, however, shoots harder than the Scot and shows a more aggressive attitude. In fact, as was the case with Sir Andy, one has to appreciate the fact that he occasionally chooses to break the rhythm by using a drop shot, a weapon that Jannik is refining and in which he shows increasing confidence with each tournament.
But Sinner is not just a concentrate of technical qualities: with his always measured attitude, his never out of place statements, his empathy towards others, he has earned a sort of universal emotional passport that makes him appreciated in all latitudes.
He is the people’s champion and, in that sense, you can see in him a bit of Roger Federer and his exceptional charm on and off the court. The US Open final proved this: the more than 23,000 spectators at the Arthur Ashe were expected to give him a rather cold reception, since he was facing a local player, but instead the match was practically played on neutral ground.
