Rafael Nadal’s former coach Toni Nadal has claimed that it is practically impossible to stop World No.1 Jannik Sinner from back of the court. Nadal reckons Taylor Fritz made the same mistake in the first two sets in the US Open final against the Italian.
Sinner won the New York Major after beating Fritz in straight sets as he was too good for the American. The 23-year-old is ticking the right boxes in the ongoing season as he earlier won the Australian Open.
“Today, he has become a player who is practically unstoppable for the vast majority of his opponents,” Toni Nadal wrote in El Pais newspaper. “He is capable of delivering each of his strokes with great speed and of making very few unforced errors.
“Overcoming him from the back of the court is almost impossible, and this is precisely, in my opinion, the mistake that Fritz made in the first two sets: making the wrong decision to play very fast rallies from the back of the court and trying to surprise him or hit a winner; but making the Italian miss was, as we could see, practically impossible.”
Meanwhile, Sinner was under the pump before the US Open after his doping controversy. However, the youngster was mentally ready and delivered on the big stage.
“In the week before the start of the competition we were wondering how the incessant controversy generated by his possible double doping could affect him, after the final and his magnificent performance, the Italian has shown once again that he not only has one of the best games on the circuit but also has the temperament to face really complicated situations,” explained the Spaniard. “Surely the fact that he has a clear conscience has helped him to cope.”
Sinner has been brilliant and he will look to keep up the good show for the rest of the season.