Despite their short crossover on the ATP Tour, Sinner and Federer were not able to play each other competitively.
Sinner made his ATP Tour debut in 2018, so he shared the locker rooms with Federer for four years until he retired in 2022.
Federer and Sinner might not have played competitively, but the Swiss star was aware of the prodigious Italian talent.
In 2019, the pair practised together when the Italian was just 18 years old and Federer was impressed with what he saw.
Roger Federer shared his thoughts on practising with Jannik Sinner
Federer demanded a lot from his practise partners and he spent a session with Sinner during the 2019 season.
Speaking about his practise partner, Federer said: “I practiced with him (Sinner) yesterday, Seppi today. So it’s true, I practiced with both generations.”
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Federer has previously practised with Sinner a year prior, and he was stunned by the star’s development in that time.
“I think Sinner is a good player. I practiced with him outside of Monaco after the Laureus Awards last year in February.”
The multi-time Grand Slam champion added: “I saw him when he was young. He made some nice improvements, obviously gotten stronger.”
Sinner soon enjoyed a breakthrough on the ATP Tour, and he won his first Grand Slam at the 2024 Australian Open.
Roger Federer has kept an eye on Jannik Sinner’s career
Sinner has come on leaps and bounds since he first practised with Federer, and the Swiss star has kept a watchful eye on the Italian.
Federer was particularly impressed after Sinner became the world number one for the very first time in 2024.
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He said: “It’s fantastic that an Italian is No. 1. Sinner deserves it; he’s a great guy, very sweet. I follow him with great interest.”
Federer has also praised Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz’s rivalry, although he’s refused to compare it to Federer and Nadal at this point in time.
