Surging Sinner has worked to improve his game since losing to the Serbian superstar in his first Major semi-final at Wimbledon last July. A former Italian junior giant slalom runner-up has since won his first Masters, ATP titles in Beijing and Vienna, the Davis Cup and beaten Djokovic and Sunday’s opponent Daniil Medvedev three times. The Fox is the current form player on the planet with the next step to win a Major title.
But his Aussie coach Darren Cahill, who previously worked with former world No.1s Agassi, Lleyton Hewitt and Simona Halep, has claimed his pure ball striking was always destined to make a superstar. “The sound of the ball when he hits it, it’s pretty amazing, isn’t it?” Cahill said. “That was the one thing that I noticed for years now.
“I said courtside while working for ESPN that this kid could be a future No. 1. He was that good that early. The sound of the ball when he hits it is unique and special. He gets that from his timing and his hand speed. He’s worked damn hard to be able to do that. One of the toughest things we have as coaches is to stop him from practising. He will play nonstop on the court.
“Agassi hits the ball like that. When he hits the ball, it just sounds like it’s hit harder than everybody else. A lot of the great champions. Rafa (Nadal) was exactly the same. Roger, when he hit a forehand, you could just hear the sound of it. And Novak, when he hits a forehand and backhand, it’s like a thud. It’s not just a normal person striking the ball. All those players have a different sound when they hit the ball and Jannik certainly has that.”
Djokovic was stunned by the power but also the improved fitness and the composure of the 22-year-old as the world No.1 lost his first semi-final here.
“He was always smacking the ball really hard,” said the 24-time Major winner. “I think his serve improved a lot, his movement overall and the mental part. I think he struggled maybe to win the big matches in the big moments But now it’s coming together for him.”
Red-headed Sinner, who has a fan club called the Carota Boys, said: “The end of the year gave me confidence that I could potentially do some good results in Grand Slams. But you still have to show it, no? There are people who talk a lot, but you have to show it because at the end of the day you’re going on the court and you have to play.”
Sinner lost his first six matches to Medvedev but has won their last three meetings. “There is nothing too much of a tactical change when he won the last three,” said the Russian. “He’s playing better than before.”
While Sinner had made his first Major final, the 2021 US Open winner is playing his sixth after losing finals here to Djokovic and Rafa Nadal. “I hope to have some advantage,” said the world No.3. Physical advantage I probably don’t have. Tennis advantage, let’s see.”
