Jannik Sinner hasn’t had things all his own way over the past few months, but is now just two matches away from the Wimbledon title.
When Sinner lost to Carlos Alcaraz in the French Open final, failing to convert multiple Championship points in Paris, many questioned whether he would be able to bounce back.
Answering that question emphatically, Sinner defeated Luca Nardi, Aleksandar Vukic, and Pedro Martinez to reach the fourth round of Wimbledon with the fewest games dropped in tournament history.
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It was in the fourth round, however, that his title hopes hung by a thread, as he trailed Bulgaria’s Grigor Dimitrov by two sets to love.
A stroke of misfortune, or fortune depending on how you look at it, saw Sinner advance to the quarterfinals when Dimitrov retired with a pectoral injury.
Capitalising on the opportunity, Sinner beat Ben Shelton to book his place in the semifinals, where he will play seven-time Wimbledon champion Novak Djokovic.
Looking ahead to the blockbuster semifinal clash, a former Wimbledon champion has highlighted the two areas in which Sinner currently outperforms Djokovic.
Jannik Sinner is told he is more powerful and a better mover than Novak Djokovic
During the latest episode of ‘The Tennis’, 2005 Wimbledon doubles champion Stephen Huss made his pick for the Sinner/Djokovic semifinal.
“I’m in the chair where I’m going to stop doubting [Jannik] Sinner, I would think a bit of a mental hurdle is being two sets to love down thinking you’re going out, all of a sudden, the guy you’re playing, [Grigor] Dimitrov, gets injured, but he goes through and he almost feels like he shouldn’t go through,” he said.
“Then he comes in and he demolishes [Ben] Shelton in the next round, pretty comfortably.
“I don’t know anything about his injury, but to me, if he’s healthy, he beats [Novak] Djokovic.”
The Australian proceeded to highlight the two areas of Sinner’s game, which are now better than the Serb’s.
“He’s gone past Djokovic from a power perspective, and he’s a better mover than Djokovic now, which you couldn’t say about anyone in the world when Djokovic was in his prime,” said Huss.
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“So, unless that injury inhibits Sinner, I think Sinner is going through here.”
Former top 20 star Daria Saville was also keen to weigh in with her thoughts, as she commented on the Italian’s injury.
“Sinner is injured, I didn’t think he was going to be able to play, and then he obviously beat Shelton. I think, from reading, he was waiting on his MRI results, and then the next morning I wake up and he’s beaten Shelton,” she said.
“I guess he’s got the team around him that will be able to get him ready, he might not be 100% but he will be competing 100%.”
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Saville wasn’t, however, prepared to predict the winner of Friday’s semifinal match.
“I actually don’t know who is going to win this one,” she said.
In fairness, it is almost too close to call, although looking back at their previous Wimbledon encounters, one player does seem to have the edge.
Jannik Sinner and Novak Djokovic at Wimbledon – The story so far
Sinner and Djokovic first met at Wimbledon in 2022, as the young Italian advanced to his third career major quarterfinal.
Few gave the number ten seed a chance, but it didn’t take long for Sinner to make his presence felt on Centre Court, winning the first two sets 7-5, 6-2.
He couldn’t quite get over the line, however, as Djokovic fought back to win in five sets en route to his seventh Wimbledon title.
Sinner didn’t have to wait long for a Wimbledon rematch, as the pair met for a second time on the grass in the 2023 semifinals.
Unable to challenge the Serb as he had done 12 months earlier, Sinner lost in straight sets 3-6, 4-6, 6-7.
Placed on the opposite half of the draw to Djokovic in 2024, Sinner missed out on his chance for revenge, as he will no doubt be eager to right the wrongs of 2022 and 2023 this time around.
Sinner will search for his first Wimbledon victory over Djokovic when they play in the semifinals on Friday, July 11.