Jannik Sinner is often compared to 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic.
Sinner broke Djokovic’s record at the Italian Open last week, where he completed the set of winning every Masters 1000 title.
The Italian could continue to make tennis history in Paris this year, with Sinner looking to join Djokovic by winning Roland Garros and becoming the 10th man to complete the Career Grand Slam.
Six-time Grand Slam champion Boris Becker coached Djokovic for three years, and he has now responded to the Sinner comparisons.
Boris Becker claims Jannik Sinner is ‘carving his own path’
When speaking to La Gazzetta dello Sport, Becker was full of praise for Sinner after his recent victories in Monte Carlo, Madrid and Rome, claiming that what he is doing right now is not normal.
“That’s the right word: historic. What Sinner did on clay seems normal, but it’s not,” said Becker. There’s only one player who has won three consecutive Masters 1000s on clay: [Rafael] Nadal, the greatest ever on this surface. Neither Djokovic, nor [Roger] Federer, nor anyone else has achieved that.”
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Not only has Sinner completed many of the same records as Djokovic, but their games are also often compared to one another.
While Becker admitted he could understand these comparisons, he claimed that it was unfair on Sinner to do this.
“Given how he’s playing now, yes,” Becker said when asked about the Sinner and Djokovic comparisons.
“But we’re talking about the most successful player in history, so to follow in Novak’s footsteps, Sinner will have to maintain this level for another 10 years. But right now, there’s no denying he’s headed exactly in that direction.
“That said, I don’t think it’s fair to compare him to anyone. He’s carving out his own path, with his own signature. He’s playing like the best Jannik Sinner ever, and that’s the only comparison that should matter.”
Boris Becker praises decision Jannik Sinner has made ahead of Wimbledon
That is not the only thing that Becker has praised Sinner for, having also agreed with a decision he has made ahead of Wimbledon this year.
Sinner will not play any grass court tournaments ahead of Wimbledon for the first time this year, and Becker was asked if he thinks this is a risky decision.
“No, actually, I was really hoping they’d decide that way,” answered Becker. “The result in Paris doesn’t matter: he needs to stop.
“What he’s doing is almost inhuman; he’s not a machine. He needs time to recover, physically and emotionally. If he plays every day, his inspiration wanes. He has to keep loving what he does, or he risks never winning again.”
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Sinner will also be the favorite to win Wimbledon after Carlos Alcaraz withdrew from the grass court major.
However, his current focus will be on Roland Garros, where Sinner was one point away from winning the title last year.
