World No. 1 Jannik Sinner received his first style of grand slam glory on the 2024 Australian Open and grew in confidence the remainder of the yr, capturing 5 extra titles, together with the 2024 U.S. Open.
With two main titles underneath his belt, the 23-year-old might be laborious to cease in 2025 if he retains at his present tempo. That’s the opinion of Toni Nadal, the uncle and former coach of Rafael Nadal.
In a column printed on “El Pais,” Nadal wrote that Sinner’s ascension might be an ominous signal for different gamers on the Tour, together with World No. 3 Carlos Alcaraz.
“At present, he has develop into a participant who’s virtually unstoppable for the overwhelming majority of his opponents,” Nadal wrote of Sinner. “He’s able to delivering every of his strokes with nice pace and with only a few unforced errors. Overcoming him from the again of the courtroom is nearly not possible…I need to say that I nonetheless get pleasure from Alcaraz’s sport extra — I like him much more — however I need to additionally admit and worry that the present chief’s notable enchancment, particularly on a psychological stage, will make issues actually troublesome for him. The rivalry is unquestionably on.”
Nadal additional famous that U.S. star Taylor Fritz made the error of enjoying “very quick rallies” from the again of the courtroom in opposition to Sinner within the U.S. Open closing — a recipe for catastrophe in opposition to the Italian. Nadal felt Fritz was attempting to shock Sinner with winners from the baseline solely to seek out out that making the World No. 1 miss on these rallies is “virtually not possible” for any participant on the Tour.
Whereas Sinner’s model is extra suited to the laborious courts, he made the semifinal at Roland Garros and the quarterfinal at Wimbledon this yr, exhibiting his capability to adapt to different surfaces. As such, Nadal feels Sinner might develop into an much more harmful participant if he begins successful on clay or grass courts.
As Nadal stated, the Sinner vs. Alcaraz rivalry “is unquestionably on” and will retake middle stage in 2025, a yr after they cut up the 4 slams amongst them. Many really feel the 2 rising stars might dominate tennis over the subsequent decade, very like the famed Large 3 did for the final 20 years.
