The former coach of Jannik Sinner and Novak Djokovic took some time to compare the two great players.
Along with Carlos Alcaraz, the Italian has positioned himself at the forefront of a new area of men’s tennis, following the dominance of tennis’ ‘Big 3’ of Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer.
Sinner already has three Grand Slam titles to his name and is the undisputed World number one, a position he took from Djokovic in June 2024.
The pair have contested some thrilling matches on tour in recent times, and their style of play is often compared and contrasted by those within the tennis world.
Novak Djokovic and Jannik Sinner analysed by their former coach Riccardo Piatti
Sinner and Novak Djokovic and are two of the world’s best players, despite the Serbian’s current ranking of number seven.
Djokovic entered 2024 still the world’s best player after winning three of the four majors in 2023 and the ATP Finals.
But he was knocked off the top spot by Sinner and he has won their last three encounters, and seems to beat Djokovic at his own game with his consistency from the baseline and supreme mental strength.
Shining more light on their similarities and the biggest difference between them is Riccardo Piatti, who worked with both players when they were teenagers.
“Sinner, if you compare to Djokovic, has a similar technique and movement, but I think his shots are now stronger than Nole,” he told Tennis Majors.
“Of course, Nole is older now, but I think Jannik here has something more. They’re very different but also very similar in a way. I think Jannik is stronger than Novak now because he’s younger.
“Sometimes I forget how Novak was when he was younger, but what is clear is that he went through a lot of tough situations with having Roger and Rafa in front of him.
“But yes, mentally, they’re both very strong. And when I talk about a strong mind, I mean they’re both very clear about what they need to do. They immediately understand what’s needed, and they do it.”
How many times has Novak Djokovic played against Jannik Sinner?
Djokovic and Sinner have played against one another eight times on the ATP Tour.
Their rivalry is locked at four wins apiece, and so far it has been a tale of two halves.
Djokovic won three of their four encounters, while Sinner has claimed three of the last four matches between the two players.
In 2024 Sinner handed Djokovic his first loss at the Australian Open since 2018 and has won the last two editions of the event.
Their last meeting came in the Shanghai Masters final in October, and fans are keen to see if the two will lock horns in 2025.
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