"Jannik Sinner is not like Carlos Alcaraz who went from No. 40 to No. 1, he needs steps" - Roger Federer's ex-coach lauds Italian's gradual progress
Roger Federer's former coach, Ivan Ljubicic, has lavished praise on Jannik Sinner's remarkable progress in the latter half of the 2023 season.
Sinner put together a stellar season, winning four titles, including his maiden ATP Masters 1000 title at the Canadian Open. He also recorded his first-ever victories over formidable opponents like Novak Djokovic and Daniil Medvedev. Furthermore, the 22-year-old led Italy to its first Davis Cup title since 1976 and finished the year as the World No. 4.
Ivan Ljubicic took note of Jannik Sinner's development and drew a comparison to Carlos Alcaraz's meteoric rise in the rankings. Ljubicic emphasized that the Italian's journey was marked by incremental progress, setting him apart from the Spaniard.
"I immediately believed in his chances. Jannik is not like Alcaraz, who went from #40 to #1. He needs steps. I think what he has done in the last two months, the confirmation of hard work, has brought him closer to the goal. He needed certain experiences to feel comfortable on this path," he said.
The Croatian asserted that Sinner, having gained valuable experience against top players, was at a point where there was little left for him to learn. Ljubicic also attributed the World No. 4's loss to Djokovic in the ATP Finals final to lingering fatigue from his hard-fought win over Medvedev in the semifinals.
"At the end of 2022, I said that I regretted that Jannik had not played important matches against the biggest players. Now he has nothing more to learn. He started by winning his first Masters 1000, then he beat all the world No. 1’s," he said.
"He reached the final in Turin and lost it because he was very tired after a difficult semi‐final against Medvedev. But when he left the court, his mind was already on the team and the Davis Cup," he added.
A brief look at Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz's rivalry this season
Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz have locked horns in seven tour-level encounters, with three of those taking place this season. Sinner has triumphed in four out of their seven encounters and holds a 2-1 lead in 2023.
Alcaraz emerged victorious in their first clash of the season, securing a 7-6(4), 6-3 victory in the Indian Wells semifinal. However, Sinner avenged his defeat in style, halting the Spaniard's quest for the Sunshine Double by defeating him 6-7(4), 6-4, 6-2 in the Miami Open semifinals.
In their most recent meeting, in the China Open semifinals, Jannik Sinner claimed a 7-6(4), 6-1 victory over the World No. 2.