At the end of the first round of matches in the group stage, Jannik Sinner and Alexander Zverev propose their candidacy as main favorites for the title at the ATP Finals in Turin. The Italian was rewarded last night for having closed the season as number one in the ranking, while the German beat an excellent Andrey Rublev with a great service performance. We talked about this and much more in the last episode of TennisManiabroadcast hosted by Dario Puppo and visible on the OA Sport YouTube channel, with guests Guido Monaco e Massimiliano Ambesi.
The latter, regarding the goal achieved by Sinner, declared: “There are many variables that can complicate an athlete’s career, it will be what it will be. His goal is to excel, and when you have a certain type of mind, as well as incontrovertible skills on the pitch, you can try to achieve certain goals. However, I think it’s a little early to make comparisons with the greats. Little by little we will understand where this player who is doing exceptional things will arrive. Here in Italy we have a habit of going from elation to depression when we talk about the potential of sports athletes. I would like there to be a more balanced and more based judgment on what we are experiencing, then we will experience what happens and if the best comes, we will all celebrate together, proud to have a compatriot so high up for such a long time.“.
“The fact that from 1973 onwards only 18 other players, not including Becker, reached the end of the year as number one, says a lot about the importance of the feat, because that is what it is. I believe that the goal achieved by Jannik Sinner should be celebrated. It is no coincidence that there are 29 who have become number one in the world, because it is easier to be at the top in twelve months, while being the player who has obtained the most points in the calendar year is not trivial. The award received yesterday represents further evidence to award the recognition of Italian athlete of the year to Sinner. What he did is unique, in a global sport. Jannik’s season is incredible. A full season from January practically until today, and hopefully also the next two weeks. Doing better is difficult, in fact in the history of tennis there have been very few seasons superior to Sinner’s current one“, added the Eurosport journalist.
On Zverev’s winning debut in Turin: “Zverev played a very solid match. When he served in the center, he either made an ace or made a winner or a ball came to him from the other side and he closed it into the net. When he shot slowly to the center he shot at 215 km/h, when he pushed hard he went over 225. It’s not easy to play on Zverev’s serve. For me Rublev played an incredible match. He had difficulty in only two rounds of service, the ones in which he was broken. Then for the rest he managed to manage the situation well, but Zverev is currently expressing himself at a high level. Go and count how many points he built with the forehand and finished with the forehand. It’s a shot he grew up on, even on the second one“.
On Zverev as Sinner’s possible opponent in the ATP ranking: “In my opinion he is a dangerous player, then it is not true that he doesn’t score points in the Slams. Semifinal in Australia, final in Paris, fourth round in Wimbledon and quarterfinals in New York. I think he can raise the bar slightly to collect a few more points, so he can bother Sinner with a view to first place in the ranking. On clay he can collect a lot, he is a player who doesn’t have big problems taking part in many tournaments and this helps, because then you can discard some. Be careful, yesterday I saw a serious rival for Sinner“.
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