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Jannik Sinner - impressing Rafa Nadal

Nadal tips youngster for huge future, saying: ‘He has everything – he is a candidate for world number one’


Jannik Sinner has been hailed as a future world number one by Toni Nadal, who says he ‘has everything’ required to be a major force in tennis.

Sinner has been one of the stories of the tournament as the teenager has powered his way past the likes of David Goffin and Alexander Zverev to advance into his first Grand Slam quarterfinal.

Next up for the Italian is a match against Rafael Nadal, and it’s one Toni admits he is slightly wary about.

“He has everything to become one of the best players of the next generation,” Toni Nadal said of Sinner. “He is for sure a candidate for world number one.

“It will be difficult for Rafael, but he has the qualities to win.

“On Sunday, against Alexander Zverev, Sinner was on top the whole match. Zverev didn’t play at a very high level, but Sinner is a very good player.”

Despite his inexperience, Sinner already has a fine record against top ten players.

As well as Zverev this week, he beat Stefanos Tsitsipas recently at the Rome Masters. He also beat Goffin when he was in the top ten at Rotterdam earlier this year.


Michael Graham, Tennishead.net Editor, has been a professional sports journalist for his whole career and is especially passionate about tennis. He's been the Editor of Tennishead.net for over 5 years and loves watching live tennis by visiting as many tournaments as possible. Michael specialises in writing in-depth features about the ATP & WTA tours.