Novak Djokovic Calls Jannik Sinner’s Achievement on Indoor Hardcourts ‘Historic’ After Italian’s ATP Finals Win

At the ATP Finals, Carlos Alcaraz was pitted against Jannik Sinner for the sixth time this year.

Novak Djokovic Calls Jannik Sinner’s Achievement on Indoor Hardcourts ‘Historic’ After Italian’s ATP Finals Win

Novak Djokovic, Jannik Sinner (Image via X/Danny, Jannik Sinner HQ)

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Jannik Sinner ended the season on a high note by defending his ATP Finals title after a tough straight-set victory against Carlos Alcaraz. The win helped him increase his indoor hardcourt streak to 31 matches, with his last defeat on the surface coming at the hands of Novak Djokovic.

The Serb, during his interview with Eurosport Italy, made his feelings known on the final between the two young Grand Slam champions. He lauded Sinnef for his indoor hardcourt performance, as the Italian also stands fifth on the list of players with the most consecutive indoor hardcourt wins, following John McEnroe, Djokovic, Roger Federer, and Ivan Lendl.

I watched the match, I watched the first set, now when they play it’s become a tradition that the first set ends 7-6 in one way or another – with much tension, much intensity, and an astronomical level. When they play, I wish I were there because the level is very high and their rivalry is really a positive thing for our sport; they’re amazing. Jannik, in particular, what he’s done indoors in the past few years is historic.

Novak Djokovic said

The 24-time Grand Slam champion skipped the ATP Finals because of fitness problems. The last tournament he played was the first edition of the Hellenic Championship in Athens, where he defeated Lorenzo Musetti to win his second title of the season following the Geneva Open.

Djokovic last won the ATP Finals in 2023 and skipped it last year. Apart from the aforementioned titles, he also reached the Miami Open final but failed to go past Jakub Mensik. In Majors this year, Sinner knocked him out in the semifinals of the French Open and Wimbledon, while Alcaraz beat him in the US Open last four. An injury forced him to give the walkover to Alexander Zverev in the Australian Open semifinal.

Andy Roddick is surprised by how open Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz are about their shortcomings

During his Served podcast, Andy Roddick heaped a lot of praise on Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner for not shying away from opening up about their deficiencies. Roddick talked about two instances where Alcaraz and Sinner made it clear what’s bothering them about their respective games.

Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz (2)
Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz (Image via X/Jannik Sinner HQ)

After Indian Wells, he [Alcaraz] loses to [Jack] Draper, he walks in, he goes, ‘I’m trying to find it, I’m insecure, I was nervous’. I don’t know if we’ve ever had two guys be as honest about their deficiencies when the rest of the world doesn’t see any. Sinner goes in, post-US Open press conference, fresh off winning Wimbledon, not really losing to anyone not named Carlos, and winning the Australian Open, almost winning Roland Garros. He walks in and goes, ‘I need to change a lot.’

Andy Roddick added

The four-time Grand Slam champion thought his game had become predictable, and adding more variety became his goal. Since that admission, he lifted the China Open, Vienna Open, Paris Masters, and the ATP Finals. Sinner showed an “insane amount of self-awareness” that Roddick claimed he himself never had. He finds it hard to understand how a player can understand their weaknesses right after defeat.

Sinner and Alcaraz fought for the year-end No.1 trophy at the ATP Finals, but in the end, Alcaraz clinched it after reaching the semifinals. The six-time Grand Slam champion lost his second match to the 24-year-old in their ninth encounter, with the first being their clash at Wimbledon.

It was their sixth meeting in finals this year, and apart from Wimbledon and the ATP Finals, they met at the Italian Open, French Open, Cincinnati Masters, and the US Open. Sinner and Alcaraz took home six and eight titles, respectively, this season.

Also read: Carlos Alcaraz Makes Big Predictions About Joao Fonseca’s Future on Tour