Jannik Sinner ‘can hurt people, including Novak Djokovic’, says former world No 1

Shahida Jacobs 17 Jan 2024 9:27 AM

Jannik Sinner from Italy during his tennis match

Jannik Sinner remains one of the players to beat this year’s Australian Open with Jim Courier stating he has the weapons to beat just about anybody in the men’s game at the moment, including Novak Djokovic.

The Italian star finished the 2023 season as one of the most-talked-about players after he claimed big wins over Djokovic, Carlos Alcaraz and Daniil Medvedev.

He ended the year at a career-high of No 4 in the ATP Rankings after finishing runner-up in the final of the ATP Finals in Turin while he also steered Italy to their first Davis Cup title since 1976.

Ahead of the season-opening Grand Slam at Melbourne Park, several pundits suggested that Sinner is the one player who could stop Djokovic from winning a record-extending 11th title.

Three out of 10 ESPN experts went for the Italian to win the trophy with the others sticking with Djokovic.

Sinner is certainly backing up suggestions he could win a first major as he has made an excellent start in Australia, winning his two matches in straight sets with 20th seed Sabastian Baez next up while he could potentially face Australian No 1 Alex de Minaur in the quarter-final.

Former world No 1 Courier explained why the 22-year-old is one of the players to beat the moment.

“The best player right now from Italy is Jannik Sinner,” the four-time Grand Slam winner said during the Channel Nine broadcast.

“He just won his second-round match, and he has played Alex six times and he has won all six of them.

“Sinner is aggressive on the forehand and the backhand wing [is] as [good] anybody in men’s tennis, and he can hurt people, including Novak.

“He is the guy who beat Djokovic twice last year. No other player beat him more than once. He did it in the Tour finals and in the Davis Cup finals.”

After his win over qualifier Jesper De Jong on Wednesday, Sinner acknowledged that he can’t afford to underestimate anyone during the remainder of the draw, but he also spoke of his “fear nobody” approach.

“We have to see how I go when the match is closer, when the sets are closer, trying to see how I react,” he said. “It doesn’t matter who you play against, you fear nobody but have a lot of respect for everyone.”

He added: “I was very calm and stable throughout the whole match. I served good, returned also well, so it was a good match today.”