Andy Roddick was very impressed with Jannik Sinner’s performance in the French Open semi-final.
Both the World number one and the 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic advanced to the last four of the clay court Grand Slam without dropping a set.
Therefore something had to give when the two titans of the game did battle in the French capital on Friday evening.
It was Sinner who rose to the occasion and won 6-4, 7-5, 7-6 to reach the first French Open final of his career.
Andy Roddick explains what Jannik Sinner did to beat Novak Djokovic at the French Open
Jannik Sinner was pushed extremely hard by Djokovic, but the Italian found a way to win the most important points to seal a straight-set win.
The Italian blasted 44 winners against the 38-year-old and won 79% of his first serve points on the way to victory.
Sinner has been renowned for his aggressive play and taking the ball early, but Andy Roddick noticed something about his performance against Djokovic that he had not seen before.
“It’s the first time I’ve seen someone go through Novak, like straight through him. Sinner is the first person I have seen do that,” Roddick said.
“Even when Alcaraz beats him it’s drop shots, quick bang tennis. There is a little more variety. It’s the first time I have seen someone take the middle of the court from Novak over and over and over again.
“Not for a point, not for a set. But Novak had to try and stay away from the centre of the court and that’s where he has made his living. You can’t go through him. Sinner can, and he did.”
Novak Djokovic explains how he felt playing against Jannik Sinner at the French Open
Djokovic has found life tough against since Sinner the 2024 Australian Open.
Sinner beat the former World number one for the first time at the 2023 Davis Cup, before handing the Serbian his first loss at Melbourne Park since 2018.
In their first Grand Slam meeting since then, Sinner once again got the better of Djokovic, who admitted he that did not always feel in control of their French Open clash.
“I felt constantly under pressure,” Djokovic said. “He didn’t allow me to kind of like have time to swing through the ball. He was just constantly on the line, trying to make me defend.”
“I think mentally he deserved big credit for hanging in there in the tough moments when the whole stadium was cheering.
“It was set points down, and he managed to find some really good shots. He showed why he’s No 1 in the world.”
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