Written by Richard Pagliaro | @Itenisi_Manje | Sunday, October 13, 2024
Picture credit score: Hector Retamal/AFP/Getty
Novak Djokovic used a artistic reconstruction that captures 24 Grand Slam titles.
Seeing Djokovic making an attempt to take down Jannik Sinner within the finals in Shanghai right now it was like watching a former heavyweight champion attempt to do away with his personal shadow.
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The Grand Slam king took his possibilities, however World No. 1 Sinner scored a 7-6(4), 6-3 victory over fourth-seeded Djokovic within the finals of the Rolex Shanghai Masters right now.
Cementing his standing as the perfect participant on the earth, Sinner captured his seventh title of the season, went 7-1 within the finals, and elevated his grueling 2024 file in opposition to prime 5 opponents to 8-2.
Since shedding to Djokovic within the ATP Finals in Turin final November, Sinner has crushed the 10-time Australian Open champion thrice in a row and has received 4 of his final 5 matches to equal 4 wins apiece.
Requested to evaluate the similarities between himself and Sinner, Djokovic cited three key areas between the previous junior professional tennis gamers:
1. Measure the forehand and backhand and finish level energy from any wing.
2. Each are starters who’ve developed all-court video games and honed their abilities throughout their careers.
3. The flexibility to paddle the bottom and take the ball up provides each males the power to compress the response time of their opponents and “suffocate them” in the course of the first spherical.
“In all places, , each shot [Sinner’s] he got here into the sport,” mentioned Djokovic. “He is improved his degree rather a lot, I feel that is been a giant weapon. He’s simply aggressive from the beginning, as quickly as he will get a brief ball, he takes motion.
“She’s very robust from the forehand and backhand, she does not make too many errors, and he or she simply tries to take break day the opponent’s leg.
“You realize, that is one thing that jogs my memory of myself in all my careers, that is what I’ve executed for a few years, , taking part in quick tennis, taking trip of the opponent, shutting down the opponent, if you need, in a sure means.”
As a trio of former world No.1 champions—Carlos Alcaraz, his coach, Juan Carlos Ferrero, and 20-time Grand Slam champion Roger Federer—watched intently, the 23-year-old Sinner separated himself from the four-time Shanghai champion. denying Djokovic his a centesimal championship.
Final yr, Djokovic captured three of 4 Grand Slams with solely Alcaraz’s beautiful victory within the Wimbledon last stopping the Serbian from turning into the primary man to win a calendar yr Grand Slam since Rocket Rod Laver in 1969.
This yr, Sinner and Alcaraz cut up the Grand Slam spoils.
Djokovic says Sinner’s robust presence and event consistency are the keys to his spectacular season to turn into the primary Italian to defend the world No. 1 rating on the finish of an ATP season.
“That is what you need, you need your opponents to be below strain due to your shot, your pace, your presence on the courtroom,” mentioned Djokovic. “So he has that, I imply, this yr he is been constant, it is actually superb.”
