Jannik Sinner’s latest opponent raves about him after losing to him in Monte Carlo, ‘he’s so phenomenal’

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Jannik Sinner impressed Ugo Humbert after beating him at the Monte Carlo Masters.

Sinner is bidding to become world number one at the Monte Carlo Masters this week, and he had a tough opening match against former quarterfinalist Humbert.

Prior to their match in Monte Carlo, Sinner and Humbert’s head-to-head was level at one win apiece.

However, their most recent match was not very even, as Sinner beat Humbert 6-3, 6-0, to win his first match of the clay court season.

Ugo Humbert explains what he found so ‘difficult’ about playing Jannik Sinner

Sinner’s win over Humbert was his 13th consecutive win, coming after his title victories in Indian Wells and Miami.

Although he was on the end of a one-sided defeat, Humbert was full of praise for Sinner after the match.

Humbert labelled Sinner as ‘phenomenal’, as he explained what makes it just so difficult to play the Italian.

“I held on for almost a set, then he started to find his rhythm, hitting harder and harder,” Humbert said, as reported by L’Equipe. “And it became a bit more complicated. The second set was tough… That’s why he’s so phenomenal, in the areas he plays, his ball contact, the way he positions himself.

“It’s very difficult to see where he’s playing, and I also found his ball quite heavy. In fact, he hits hard but with a lot of confidence around the net; there are very few moments where you feel he’s just trying to hit hard.”

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Every player Jannik Sinner has won a 6-0 set against on clay

Sinner’s victory over Humbert was the ninth time he has won a 6-0 set against a player on clay on the main tour.

The first of those 6-0 sets came in his debut appearance at Roland Garros in 2020, where he would beat 11th seed David Goffin.

It was three years until Sinner would win his next 6-0 set on the surface, which came against Diego Schwartzman, who once beat Rafael Nadal on clay.

Six of Sinner’s nine 6-0 set wins on clay have come in the past 12 months, with three taking place en route to reaching the final of Roland Garros last year.

Perhaps the most emphatic of all of his clay court victories came at the Italian Open last year, where Sinner beat Casper Ruud for the loss of just one game.

Sinner will be hoping for more 6-0 sets in his next clay court match, where he will play against Tomas Machac at the Monte Carlo Masters.

The four-time Grand Slam champion should be feeling confident ahead of this match, as Sinner has not lost a set in his three previous meetings against Machac.