It is without a doubt that Jannik Sinner is currently the most in-form player on the ATP Tour but one of his mentors has warned against generating too much hype.
The 22-year-old is the only player so far in 2024 to win a trio of ATP titles, which includes the Australian Open. His latest achievement was at the Miami Open where he dismantled Grigor Dimitrov in straight sets to win the tournament. As a result, Sinner has risen to No.2 in the rankings which is the highest-ever position achieved by an Italian man in ATP history.
Since the start of the season, Sinner has won 22 out of 23 matches played with his only loss being in the semi-finals of Indian Wells to Carlos Alcaraz. He is the first player to win both the Australian Open and Miami titles within the same season since Roger Federer in 2017. Sinner’s surge in recent months has elevated him to the limelight with some speculating that he could go on to become one of the sport’s most dominant players.
However, coach Darren Cahill has warned against comparing Sinner with other heavyweights of the sport such as the Big Three. A group of players that consists of Novak Djokovic (who Sinner has beaten in three out of their four most recent meetings), Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer.
“I don’t think anybody should be comparing this generation yet to the generation that we have just seen with Novak, Federer and Nadal. What they were able to achieve for so many years is remarkable.” Cahill told reporters on Sunday.
“I don’t think we will ever see that domination again no matter what. What you are seeing with the players coming through now is a direct result of their professionalism, of the teams they put together, the way they have tried to inch out every piece of improvement in each of their games.”
Cahill has a wealth of experience in the sport. A former US Open semi-finalist, he has worked with Lleyton Hewitt, Andre Agassi, Andy Murray and Simona Halep. The Australian joined Sinner’s team in 2022 and works alongside his other coach Simone Vagnozzi.
“I wouldn’t start comparing what Carlos or Jannik or Holger (Rune) or these types of players are doing just yet to the generation prior, because I think that’s unfair,” he continued.
“They need time to establish themselves. But the level is right up there, and it’s a good level, but they need to win a lot more before you start comparing them to those boys.”
Dimitrov weighs in on debate
Embed from Getty ImagesCahill’s view is supported by 32-year-old Dimitrov who has played alongside the Big Three throughout his career. The Bulgarian knows what it is like to be compared to some of the sport’s biggest stars with him being famously nicknamed ‘baby Fed’ due to the similarities in his game style with the Swiss maestro.
“At the moment Jannik is playing outstanding tennis. There is nothing to say to that.” Said Dimitrov.
“You see how focused he is, how determined he is, the way he’s hitting his shots, there is zero doubt, so a lot of that level, it’s extremely high up.
“I don’t feel the need to compare him to any other player for that matter. Can he play any better? I don’t know. He’s the one to show that. But at the moment he’s been able to put so many matches back to back with the same level, so all credit goes to him. And he is the best player right now in the world.”
Dimitrov, who has returned to the world’s top 10 for the first time since 2018, was more precise when asked about who was the toughest player he has ever faced on the Tour.
“The toughest player that I have played at his absolute prime was Roger (Federer). I remember a few times even at Wimbledon, once I remember it was just — I wanted to dig a hole and disappear. I haven’t had that feeling yet against anyone else. That’s probably going to be the player I suffered the most with.” He replied.
Dimitrov lost seven out of eight matches against Federer on the Tour with his only victory being in their final meeting at the 2019 US Open.
Sinner focuses on the present
Embed from Getty ImagesAs for Sinner himself, his motto continues to be working to improve his game further and not to take his surge in success for granted. His attention now switches to the clay swing which includes his home tournament at the Rome Masters and the French Open.
He has won 13 ATP titles so far in his career but only one of those was on clay at the 2022 Croatia Open.
“When you win, you realise that it’s really special, like this [Miami title],” he said. “But it’s a moment. You live this moment, and then you’re happy and then you fly to Cincinnati and the day after you play again.
“So there is not so much time to enjoy this. That’s what I feel like I have improved a lot. After [winning the title in] Australia, I live these moments, three or four days, and then after, I get back to work. It was the same in Rotterdam and it’s the same here because you don’t have time to enjoy.
“So this is also how I am because maybe there are players who enjoy a little bit for longer. Me, I know that I don’t have so much time to prepare for Monaco, so this is now obviously the next goal, trying to get confident with the clay.”
Sinner’s next tournament will be the Monte Carlo Masters. He is currently 1115 points behind Djokovic in the ATP PIF rankings.
