Jannik Sinner Lavishes Praise on ‘Kind’ Novak Djokovic After Beating Him in Epic French Open Semifinal

Jannik Sinner improved his head-to-head record to 5-4 against Novak Djokovic to secure a berth in the French Open final.

Jannik Sinner Lavishes Praise on ‘Kind’ Novak Djokovic After Beating Him in Epic French Open Semifinal

Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz (Image via X/The Tennis Letter)

It’s fitting to say that Jannik Sinner was tested for the first time at this French Open. Against him was one of the greatest athletes of all time- Novak Djokovic.

A stingy Sinner, before the semifinal, was breezing past opponents one after the other, serving bagels and breadsticks in the process. But he had toil hard a great deal in three hours and 19 minutes to knock out the three-time French Open champion with a 6-4, 7-5, 7-6(3) scoreline, booking a spot in the French Open final for the first time in his career.

Since the start of the match, the veteran and the youngster frequently engaged in ferocious rallies. To end the rallies, Djokovic on most occasions tried to hit drop shots, against which Sinner still struggles. The Serb also was unleashing one-handed backhand drop shot cross-court to take Sinner by surprise.

Even though the match ended without extending to a five-setter, all three sets were a tight affair. For each point, they had to grind and make each other cover the court. Following the match, Sinner was all praise for Djokovic when asked in the press conference what he has learned from the 24-time Grand Slam champion. He said when he was young, he practiced a lot with Nole in Monaco and watched a lot of his videos.

Every time I asked questions, he answered me in a very honest way. It’s very nice. People don’t see how he really is. I think people from outside or people who don’t know him have a different picture of him. It’s not like this. He’s a very kind person. He’s very helpful in times when you need it. I’ve learned many things from him. I feel like my game style is…not the same because we are different, but at times similar.

Jannik Sinner reveals the key to beat Novak Djokovic

Jannik Sinner has now become the third player after 14-time French Open champion Rafael Nadal and Dominic Thiem to beat Novak Djokovic in straight sets at Roland Garros. The Italian also ended his 23-match winning streak at Roland Garros as the last time Djokovic faced a defeat was in the 2022 French Open quarterfinal against Nadal.

Jannik Sinner, Novak Djokovic
Jannik Sinner, Novak Djokovic (Image via X/Served with Andy Roddick Podcast, We Are Tennis)

Djokovic won his third title in the event in 2023 and withdrew from the quarterfinals the following season due to an injury. Last year, he clinched his career’s first Olympic gold medal at the venue. The 23-year-old, at the press conference, said he tried his all to not let his concentration waver for a moment because he was up against a player who could change the momentum in his favor at any moment.

Playing against Novak is stressful because you feel that everything can change at any moment, even if you are giving your best. The key is to stay calm, understand the crucial moments of the match, and bring out your best there. I think what I did best was everything related to the mental aspect.

Sinner has another gigantic task in front of him in the final. Another intense match is expected as he will be up against his arch-rival Carlos Alcaraz, who received a walkover from Lorenzo Musetti in the semifinal.

Alcaraz leads 7-4 in the head-to-head record with the three-time Grand Slam champion and also defeated him four consecutive times, including in the Italian Open final they played before arriving in Paris. It was Alcaraz who ended Sinner’s French Open campaign last year in the semifinals.

Sinner is chasing his second clay-court title following the 2022 Umag Open (he defeated Alcaraz in the final). The four-time Grand Slam champion has already 10 titles under his belt on the red dirt.

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