Jannik Sinner returned to tennis in Rome, picking up right where he left off.
World number one, Sinner, was suspended for three months earlier this year, which saw him miss the first four Masters 1000 events of the season.
Returning in Rome, the home-favorite immediately found his footing, as Sinner reached the Italian Open final following wins over Francisco Cerundolo, Casper Ruud, and Tommy Paul.
He did, however, come up short in the final when Carlos Alcaraz beat Sinner in straight sets, 7-6, 6-1.
Sinner’s level was impressive throughout, as one former WTA star now reveals what she noticed the Italian doing in Rome that reminded her of another tennis legend.
Andrea Petkovic says Jannik Sinner’s reactions in Rome reminded her of John McEnroe
During the Becker Petkovic podcast, former world number nine Andrea Petkovic shared what she saw Sinner doing to his box at the Italian Open.
“Sometimes I see that the other player makes a really completely unforced error and Jannik [Sinner] then looks out at his box like that, what is that?” she said.
Petkovic said seeing Sinner react in that manner reminded her of an American tennis legend.
“Do you know who I’ve seen that with? John McEnroe,” she said.
“It’s hilarious, because when I was still playing, I often practised with him at the academy when I was at home in New York.
“He’d be running around like that. There were just eight-year-old kids who really didn’t play tennis ambitiously, but who were simply carted there by their rich parents. Stay there from 3 to 5 o’clock so I can get my nails done or something. They just played as children who were forced to play tennis.
“John [McEnroe] would hit balls from above, shouting down like a madman. ‘No, how can you miss this?’
“Typical John. At some point, I said to him, ‘John, he’s an eight-year-old boy, he doesn’t want to.’
“He said, ‘No, I won’t accept it. I don’t accept it, you cannot miss a neutral ball.’
“I think sometimes, I see that with Jannik [Sinner] too, he looks like that when someone makes a mistake like that, he looks like what is wrong with the other player?”
Petkovic’s co-host, Boris Becker, shared his thoughts on Sinner and McEnroe, praising them for their immense talents.
“We’re talking about geniuses, John McEnroe was one, Jannik Sinner is one, and Carlos Alcaraz too,” he said.
“It’s just a different level of how you view the game of tennis. It’s an art form, and that’s why the sport is so difficult.
“That’s why it’s difficult to become number one; very few people can do it.”
Sinner’s ‘genius’ was clear to see during his quarterfinal match in Rome, when he dismantled Casper Ruud in straight sets, 6-0, 6-1.
Another former Grand Slam winner, Andy Roddick, gave his verdict on Sinner’s performance against Ruud during the latest episode of his podcast, labelling it a ‘joke’.
“It was a joke,” said Roddick.
“But he knows Casper [Ruud] likes to hit his backhand cross, he doesn’t really hit it flat through the court, he hits it big, but it’s big with this jumping spin, he [Sinner] just smothered him.
“You don’t lose 6-0, 6-1, you’re a top ten player, I’m not criticizing Casper [Ruud], you can’t, he just came off Madrid.
“He just got the s— knocked out of him, I mean, he said that.
“I got dropped a bagel on me a couple of times too, it’s not fun.”
Comparing Jannik Sinner and John McEnroe’s tennis achievements
Petkovic noticed a similarity between McEnroe and Sinner in Rome, but how do their tennis careers stack up?
At just 23 years of age, Sinner has made a strong start, but still has a way to go if he plans on surpassing McEnroe.
Jannik Sinner’s career achievements
- Grand Slam titles – 3
- Weeks at number one – 50
- ATP Finals titles – 1
- ATP titles – 19
John McEnroe’s career achievements
- Grand Slam titles – 7
- Weeks at number one – 170
- ATP Finals titles – 3
- ATP titles – 77
Sinner trails McEnroe by four Grand Slams, 120 weeks at number one, two ATP Finals titles, and 58 total ATP titles.
He’ll be in with a good chance of closing the gap when he takes to the court in Paris, searching for his maiden French Open title.
McEnroe failed to win Roland Garros in ten attempts, gifting Sinner an opportunity to take the lead in one category next month.
The 2025 French Open is scheduled to begin on Sunday, May 25.
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