Jannik Sinner admits he has ‘some similarities’ with Novak Djokovic
Jannik Sinner has spoken about his similarities with Novak Djokovic, including employing his rivals former fitness coach and physiotherapist.
Sinner and Djokovic are both safely into the last-16 of the Shanghai Masters, as they look to finish the Asian swing in style.
This is only the World No.1’s second tournament with new fitness coach Marco Panichi and physiotherapist Ulises Badio, who both used to work with Djokovic.
Benvenuti nella squadra Marco e Ulises 💪🏼 pic.twitter.com/lxmvUsKeiL
— Jannik Sinner (@janniksin) September 16, 2024
The Italian hired both Panichi and Badio after letting go of former team members Giacomo Naldi and Umberto Ferrera, after an alleged contamination led to the banned substance clostebol being found in his system back in March.
And Sinner has spoken about how well his new team members have slotted in, “For sure, it takes a little bit of time to know each other a little bit better. But I feel very comfortable already with them.
“And we try to improve a couple of things, we try to change a couple of things, which hopefully makes me a better player and also a better person. So, I’m happy that they started quite early when I made the decision. This means very much to me.”
Not only is the reigning Australian Open and US Open champion working with two of Djokovic’s former team members, but their game styles are often compared too.
While Sinner has accepted these comparisons, the 23-year-old also suggested that he has many differences to Djokovic.
“We have some similarities, me and [Djokovic], but at the end, we are still different,” said Sinner. “So you know, we have to try to adapt, whatever is best for me, and trying to understand. But this, it takes time. I’m very happy to have them [Panichi and Badio] on my team.”
As they are on other sides of the draw, Sinner and Djokovic will only be able to play one another if they both reach the final in Shanghai.
Both players will be back in action tomorrow, with Sinner taking on Ben Shelton, while Djokovic plays the unseeded Roman Safiullin for a place in the quarter-finals.
Inside the baseline…
The comparisons between Jannik Sinner and Novak Djokovic were already very prevalent due to their similar game styles, and the Italian employing two of his rivals former team members has only heightened that. While Sinner did not want to play too much into the comparisons, if he could have even half of Djokovic’s success then that would classify as a more than legendary career.
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