As we look forward to the future of men?s tennis, the name Jannik Sinner automatically comes to the minds of every tennis enthusiast. Without a doubt, the young Italian is one of the most promising talents on the men’s tour today. Many pundits have pinned their hopes on talents like Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz to dominate the men’s tour in the coming years, taking over the reign from the Big 3. However, unlike Carlos Alcaraz, Sinner hasn’t yet been able to hit top gear when it comes to big tournaments.
Jannik is currently being coached by fellow Italian Simone Vagnozzi. In a recent interview, Vagnozzi revealed that a flurry of criticisms has put an immense amount of pressure on Sinner, and expressed his displeasure regarding the same in a rather unapologetic manner.
Italian coach of Jannik Sinner slams critics for unwanted criticism?
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Currently placed at number 8 in the ATP rankings, 22-year-old Jannik Sinner made it to the semifinals of the recently concluded Wimbledon championships before being ousted by 23-time grand slam champion Novak Djokovic in straight sets. In the previous major at the French Open, Sinner’s performance wasn’t up to the mark at all as his run ended in the 2nd round in a shock defeat to German Daniel Altmaier. Despite being immensely talented, Sinner had to face the music from the critics, owing to his lackluster performances on big occasions.
His coach Simone Vagnozzi clearly isn’t impressed with the armchair critics. In a recent interview with the Italian daily Corriere Della Sera, Vagnozzi lashed out at the critics for hurling harsh words at Sinner. “There is a lot of pressure on Jannik, too much I would say. Sometimes he wins but if he takes a break I read that there is something wrong, as if the other players never get broken! Criticism is part of the game, but some criticism is free. I have in mind the path we have to take, let’s go on our way. More than feeling bad, sometimes I’m surprised. When after Paris I read ‘Sinner disaster’ or ‘Sinner alarm’, well, it seemed to me that there was a bit too much drama, honestly”, he said.
According to him, the criticisms would hinder the growth of the young Italian’s career. However, the critics weren’t the only ones to point fingers at Jannik Sinner. A month back, former Italian tennis player Paolo Bertolucci expressed his fair share of disappointment with Sinner.
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Former Italian tennis star unimpressed with Sinner’s performances
There’s absolutely no doubt that Jannik Sinner is a top talent, and possesses immense potential in his game. However, he hasn’t been able to convert it into big titles as of yet. Seventy-one-year-old former Italian tennis great Paolo Bertolucci opened up on his displeasure with current Italian ATP stars, including Jannik Sinner and Matteo Berrettini, in an interview he gave last month. According to him, the Italian players simply aren’t good enough to pose a serious threat to the grand slam contenders. In his words, although Sinner has great potential, he is, unfortunately, becoming worse with time.
Only time will tell whether Jannik Sinner can prove his mettle on the big stage and do justice to his extraordinary talent. Do you think Sinner has it in him to win a grand slam anytime soon? Let us know in the comments.
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