Jannik Sinner reacts to comparison with Andre Agassi, opens up about Wimbledon dream, and more
Jannik Sinner was part of some of the most memorable matches of the 2022 season, including his US Open quarterfinal against eventual champion Carlos Alcaraz, which many regarded as the best match of the season. Sinner's rise over the last couple of years has drawn comparisons of his game to that of American great Andre Agassi, something the Italian youngster is quite proud of.
Earlier this year, former World No. 7 and Sinner's Italian Davis Cup team captain Corrado Barazzutti likened the 21-year-old's game style to Agassi's, which Sinner felt to be a great compliment.
Speaking to Corriere del Veneto in a recent interview, the Italian shared his thoughts on the same.
"Comparison with Agassi is a huge compliment," Jannik Sinner expressed.
Ahead of Wimbledon this year, Sinner had shown what he is capable of at each of the other three Grand Slams, reaching the second week atleast once in all three tournaments. He entered the 2022 Wimbledon Championships still looking for his first win there, but ended the tournament with a run to the quarterfinals, where he held a two-set lead over Novak Djokovic before losing in five sets. Going forward, he aims to build on his newfound confidence at Wimbledon.
"I don't set myself limits, my goal is to increase my confidence when playing on grass even more, the more I know it, the more we can become…friends," Sinner stated.
Three of Sinner's four wins at Wimbledon came against the likes of John Isner, Stan Wawrinka, and current No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz. He himself was highly impressed by those performances, even the one in the quarterfinals against Djokovic.
"I had never won a match on that surface and I had very little experience. And instead I beat very strong players like Wawrinka, Isner and Alcaraz, before losing in five sets against Djokovic, who would go on to win the tournament for the seventh time," the Italian added.
"Over five sets I'm very competitive" - Jannik Sinner exudes confidence about his Grand Slam chances after stellar season
Of Jannik Sinner's three Grand Slam quarterfinal appearances in 2022, he came ever so close to beating Djokovic at Wimbledon and Alcaraz in their US Open epic and reaching his maiden Grand Slam semi-final. If it wasn't for his injury-forced retirement in the French Open fourth round against Andrey Rublev, Sinner would have made it four out of four quarterfinal appearances at Grand Slams in 2022, at the very least.
As evidenced by his performances, the World No. 15 feels quite competitive and confident in the biggest tournaments on the annual tennis calendar, which bodes well for his chances of ultimate Grand Slam success going forward.
"Over the five sets I'm very competitive, there the mental and physical factor counts a lot. In this sense, I believe I have reached an important level of experience and that gives me great confidence," Jannik Sinner said on the same.
While away from the tour after ending his season at the Paris Masters, Sinner has added a few more variations to his skillset. Now fit and raring to go, he is eager to get started with the 2023 season and test himself against the best players.
"Tactically we have added variations such as the drop and the serve and volley. The important thing is to understand at what moment of the exchange or score to use them. That's why I can't wait to start the new season," he further expressed.