Sinner’s Defeat in ATP Finals and the Lessons Learned: “I believe that Novak will make me a better player”

Jannik Sinner is sure: “I believe that Novak will make me a better player.”

The sentence is nine days old and came after the defeat in the biggest match of his career so far. Sinner had lost the final of the ATP Finals against Djokovic in two sets in front of his home crowd in Turin. “I was much, much stronger mentally, especially in the second half. I no longer complained so much on the court when something went wrong “, explained the 22-year-old, who won his first Masters title in Toronto this season and also triumphed at the tournaments in Montpellier, Beijing and Vienna. Sinner ended the year in fourth place in the world rankings, he has never been ranked higher.

Listen now: The new podcast episode with Becker

The learning effect was particularly great in the duels with Djokovic. “If you let up a little bit against the best player in the world, he makes it look like there’s a big difference,” emphasized Sinner. That’s exactly what happened in the final in Turin, when he suffered a clear defeat 3:6, 3:6 against Djokovic – even though he had beaten the Serb in the group stage.

Sinner not only manages to recover quickly from these negative experiences, he uses them to improve himself. Mentally, but also playfully. It was remarkable how well the serve came when he had match point against him in the Davis Cup.

Sinner relies on two coaches – with success

A quality that distinguishes the right-hander. It’s not for nothing that Sinner fended off 69.3 percent of breakballs this year – more than any other player. In the ATP’s Under Pressure Rating, in which pressure situations such as tiebreaks, deciding sets or break points are analyzed, Sinner takes second place. The 22-year-old also improved his returns and is ranked third in the corresponding ranking.

Sinner is eager for new titles – and dedicates victory to Garbin

The secret behind Sinner’s soaring fortunes also lies in the fact that he relies on two coaches: Daren Cahill and Simone Vagnozzi. What generally poses the risk of a tussle over competence pays off here. “Sometimes it’s very good to hear different voices,” emphasized the South Tyrolean.

He regularly learns new things. “Jannik believes that one day he will have ultimate success and he knows that you won’t get there without hard work. He is ready to put in that hard work,” Cahill praised his protégé.

Becker exclusively on Sinner: “The basis for the next big step”

Sinner was “always dangerous, but he now has a certain consistency and a relaxedness on the court that allows him to stay true to his line and play his tennis even in critical phases,” says tennis legend Boris Becker in the Eurosport podcast Das Gelbe from the ball.

Becker on Djokovic: “The best athlete in the world at the moment”

“That is the basis for the next big step – and that has to be to get to the semi-finals or finals of a Grand Slam tournament and maybe even win it,” explains Becker. Sinner’s top result at one of the four Grand Slams was the semi-finals at Wimbledon in July. His path to the first major final was blocked by… Djokovic, of course.

Sinner: Nobody is better equipped to face Djokovic

It is typical of Sinner that he does not look back on the match with resentment, but has found a positive interpretation. He was “really happy to have played many, many important games in the biggest stadiums throughout the year. That’s something that can hopefully help me for next season.”

The next chance for the first Grand Slam final comes in January at the Australian Open. If Sinner goes far in Melbourne, he won’t be able to avoid another duel with favorite and defending champion Djokovic. After all: There is currently no player on the tour who is better equipped for this task – and at some point the apprentice will probably overtake his 36-year-old master…

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2023-11-28 11:58:00
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