Jannik Sinner previously expressed his desire to play more matches against Rafael Nadal during his career.
After showing some promise when he burst onto the scene, not many expected the Italian to become the dominant force that the game has been over the past year.
Jannik Sinner is now a three-time Grand Slam champion and the undisputed World number one, despite being in the middle of a three-month suspension.
He certainly learned from his experiences of playing Nadal at his strongest tournament of the French Open, earlier in his career.
The wish Jannik Sinner made about Rafael Nadal after their 2021 French Open meeting
Sinner and Rafael Nadal played for the final time in the fourth round of the 2021 French Open.
After the 38-year-old edged a competitive first set, the Spaniard dominated sets two and three to seal a 7-5, 6-3, 6-0 win.
Following the match Sinner commented on Nadal’s performance and expressed his desire to play him again. But it did not come to fruition and with Nadal now retired, they will not add to their rivalry.
“Well, you know, I don’t know what Rafa said about his level, but I think he played very high level today,” Sinner said at the time of his last match against Nadal.
“He was pushing the ball very hard. So that makes you that you are not going to play the tennis you would like to.
“So, no, as I said, you know, this question I answered already before. In one way at some point he was playing — he was playing and I was only running at some points.
“As I said, you know, the way is very long, still long, and I hope I can still have one more chance to play against him.
“Obviously, you know, I would like to see another test, and then we will see what’s happening. But, yeah, the way is long. Yeah, the only chance is to go back to work and I will see what’s going the next time.”
How many times did Jannik Sinner play Rafael Nadal?
Sinner and Nadal played one another three times between 2020 and 2021.
Two of these matches came at the French Open, the first of which came in the quarter-finals of the 2020 event.
Played indoors and in colder conditions later in the year, Nadal was pushed hard for two sets against Sinner, who was just 19 at the time.
The teenager ultimately succumbed to a 6-7, 4-6, 1-6 defeat, but certainly made Nadal work for a hard-fought victory.
Sinner and Nadal played each other at the Italian Open, and once again Nadal was tested but claimed a 7-5, 6-4 win.
Nadal completed his hat-trick of wins against Sinner at the 2021 French Open.
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