Roddick also revealed that Sinner reminds him of Robin Soderling - a player renowned for his devastating power off both wings.
Jannik Sinner was one of the brightest spots on the ATP tour last year, where he reached his maiden Slam quarterfinal (Roland Garros). The 19-year-old followed that up with his first ever ATP tour title, at Sofia.
Sinner has thus emulated Andy Roddick’s feat of winning his first title as a teenager. Roddick had won the now-defunct Verizon Tennis Challenge in Atlanta as an 18-year-old.
During a recent conversation on Tennis Channel, Andy Roddick spoke in glowing terms about the 19-year-old Jannik Sinner. The American highlighted Sinner’s standout qualities, and asserted that the Italian is destined for great things in the future.
Robin Soderling had a similarly lean and wiry physical structure as Jannik Sinner, but had almost superhuman power in his upper torso. The Swede could unleash crushing winners off both wings with a certain effortlessness, much the way Sinner does.
Andy Roddick went on to explain why it is crucial for the young Jannik Sinner to bulk up. Roddick cited the Italian’s dramatic collapse against Karen Khachanov at the US Open, where he lost from two sets to love up.
Jannik Sinner goes out and wins matches that he’s expected to win: Andy Roddick
Andy Roddick also showered praise on Jannik Sinner’s showing at Roland Garros and Sofia. The American was particularly impressed by the fact that Sinner made his breakthrough on clay rather than his comfort zone of quicker surfaces.
The teenager’s ability to win matches in which he’s the favorite is another thing that makes Roddick believe he has a bright future ahead of him.
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