One of Italy’s most successful female tennis players believes big things are in store for rising star Jannik Sinner in the future.
Former French Open champion Francesca Schiavone has hailed her 19-year-old compatriot who is the youngest player currently inside the world’s top 50 on the men’s Tour. Sinner, who is currently ranked 19th in the world, has already won two ATP titles so far in his career and reached the final of the Miami Open in March. At the 2020 French Open he became the first male player to reach the quarter-finals of their debut since Rafael Nadal in 2005.
Sinner’s rise hasn’t gone unnoticed by Schiavone who won eight WTA trophies during her 20-year stint on the Tour. In a recent interview with Sky Sports, she has backed the youngster to win a Grand Slam title in the future and rise to the top of the world rankings.
“He is a great guy. I think a champion has to be an amazing person, then he loves this sport, and the third step is that he works a lot. He has a quality where he can see the ball faster than other players. He can be number one in the world,” said Schiavone.
“Absolutely, he can win a Grand Slam. I know that he will. It’s coming.”
The 40-year-old is the latest in a series of tennis figures to praise Sinner. Ahead of this week’s Munich Open in Germany, Alexander Zverev said it is likely that the Italian will soon crack the top 10 before adding that “he has the potential, but there is a long way to go” during an interview with bild.de.
Schiavone made a return to the tennis circuit last week in Istanbul but as a coach to Croatia’s Petra Martic. It is her first role in the sport since being diagnosed with and successfully undergoing treatment for cancer. She had also previously worked with Carline Wozniacki during the 2019 clay swing.
“This is a fantastic new story for me and I also hope for her [Petra Martic]. The most important thing is to live through this coronavirus,” she said.
“The travelling and training is very difficult because we’re always in a bubble. You have to be careful who you speak to and we can’t go outside, so it’s not easy from a mental aspect.
“We’ve decided to take it step-by-step for the clay season with Madrid, Rome and then Paris [for the French Open]. One step at a time.”
Martic is currently on a five-match losing streak. At the Madrid Open on Wednesday she suffered a 6-3, 6-2, defeat to American qualifier Bernarda Pera in the first round.
