Mats Wilander has paid Jannik Sinner the ultimate compliment as he feels the Italian’s improvement over the past year is similar to when Novak Djokovic upped his game to become a superstar.
Sinner is the form player on the ATP Tour as he is 22-1 so far this campaign and has already won three titles this year – including his maiden Grand Slam at the Australian. He has beaten Djokovic, Carlos Alcaraz and Daniil Medvedev already this year although Alcaraz is the only player to defeat the 22-year-old as he got the better of him at the Indian Wells Open.
The Italian has risen to a career-high No 2 in the ATP Rankings on the back of the three titles, but his run of form stretches back to 2023 as he also won the Canadian Open, China Open and Vienna Open late last year and also steered Italy to the Davis Cup title.
Former world No 1 Wilander believes Sinner’s improvement is reminiscent of Djokovic’s early career as the Serbian went from being touted as a future star to joining Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal as the superstars of men’s tennis.
“He’s improved a lot in the last year, but in the last three months, I think the tactical part of his tennis has improved to the point where he’s not taking any risks anymore,” he told Eurosport.
“He plays fast. He’s trying to hit winners most of the time, but he’s just playing within himself. I think that any surface is going to be his best surface.
“I think it doesn’t depend on grass, hard courts, or even clay courts. I think when he feels good and he’s confident, he knows his game is going to stand up to any player on tour, even if that’s their best surface.
“It’s an incredible improvement, an improvement that I don’t think I’ve seen in a young player since the ‘Big 3,’ when Novak Djokovic went from being a normal player to understanding: ‘I am better than these guys. If I play close to my best, I can just play my game.’
“That’s the improvement Jannik Sinner has made.”
The seven-time Grand Slam winner also feels confidence has been key to Sinner’s improvement as he highlighted how the Italian’s self-belief helped him to get the better of Medvedev in the Australian Open final.
“The biggest difference after the Australian Open is confidence. And I think confidence is sometimes misunderstood,” he explained.
“I think great players understand that having confidence doesn’t mean suddenly hitting shots that they don’t normally hit.
“Confidence to a great player means that they feel safe playing within themselves: ‘This is how good I am, and I can bring this game Monday through Sunday, 8am till midnight. I am going to play the same level. I’m not going to panic whatever the score is.’
“I think that’s where you see the difference. I would say that that turn didn’t come after beating Novak Djokovic.
“It literally came in beginning in that third set when he turned the match around against Daniil Medvedev and realised: ‘Hold on, because he played a little bit slower in the last three sets in the Australian Open final than he did in the first two sets, now I actually have more time to control the rally.’”