Rennae Stubbs believes Jannik Sinner wants to imitate Roger Federer

11/01/2024 09:00 AM

Jannik Sinner impressed everyone in 2024, achieving a series of results that almost no one would have expected. The Italian ace had made a remarkable leap forward already in the latter part of last year - when he won two ATP 500 (Beijing and Vienna) and pulled Italy to success at the Davis Cup Finals - but his level and consistency this year were truly incredible.

The world number 1 has won the Australian Open and the US Open, reaching at least the quarterfinals in all tournaments he played this season. As if that were not enough, the 23-year-old from Sesto Pusteria also won the Masters 1000 in Miami, Cincinnati and Shanghai, as well as the ATP 500 in Rotterdam and Halle.

The two-time Grand Slam champion has built a very substantial gap compared to all his rivals in the ATP ranking and is already certain to remain number 1 in the world at least until the end of 2024. Jannik was due to play the Rolex Paris Masters this week, but a virus forced him to skip the tournament to prepare for the Nitto ATP Finals in Turin.

There is no doubt that Sinner is the big favorite in Turin, where he reached the final last year losing to a great Novak Djokovic. After the ATP Finals, the Italian will close his season at the Davis Cup Finals in Malaga. After winning the Masters 1000 in Shanghai, the world number 1 went to Saudi Arabia to compete in the 'Six Kings Slam'.

This controversial exhibition - which also featured other top players such as Nole Djokovic, Carlos Alcaraz, Rafael Nadal, Daniil Medvedev and Holger Rune - has the highest prize money in tennis history. Jannik - who won the tournament by defeating Alcaraz in the final - has pocketed $6 million. In an interview released a few days ago, Sinner was questioned about this performance and denied he was still in Saudi Arabia for economic reasons. An answer that has generated many discussions and controversies, since no one believed his words.

"No, I don't play for money, it's very simple. Of course, it's a nice prize and everything but for me, I went there because there were possibly the six best players in the world, and then you can measure yourself with them. It was also a nice event for me, it was the first time I went to Riyadh and it was nice," Jannik said. "Of course, when you come back as a winner, for me, it was more that, 'Okay, I played the matches in the right way and this hopefully can improve me as a player also for the future,'" he added.

When the same question was asked to Alcaraz, the 4-time Grand Slam champion admitted that the prize money had an impact on his decision to participate in the event. "I love playing tennis. You know, most of the time I don't think about the money. I just play for love or for fun. But you have to be realistic. You have to think that you want to earn money, you know, and that's it," Alcaraz told media. "In Arabia is the most, highest prize money ever ... so that was a good motivation, at least for me."

In the latest edition of a famous podcast, Rennae Stubbs advised the Italian ace to be more sincere in certain cases: “I like him so much, because he’s so trusted and politically correct: No, I didn’t go for the money. I’m just playing. The six best players in the world are here and I want to test myself,” he said. I want to say, “Look, Jannik, I love you but it’s not possible to add a tournament to your schedule. As Carlos Alcaraz said, "Of course I did the money." Jannik, I know you want to be like Roger Federer with a well-oiled communication but sometimes you just have to tell the truth: “Yes, it was interesting but we were all well paid and that’s why I went there.”

After announcing his forfeit in Paris-Bercy, the world number 1 immediately returned to Monte Carlo to completely eliminate the consequences of the intestinal virus. According to the latest rumors, the 23-year-old from Sesto Pusteria will reach Turin tomorrow along with Darren Cahill and start preparing for the most important event of this last part of the season.

The two-time Grand Slam champion may face Alcaraz in the group stage if Alexander Zverev reaches the final in Paris-Bercy this week. In addition, everyone is waiting to know whether or not Novak Djokovic will be present in Turin.