Alcaraz 'Not A Reference Point' For Sinner Says Italian Coach Vagnozzi

| by Nurein Ahmed

Jannik Sinner's coach, Simone Vagnozzi, has recently spoken on the comparisons between his protege and World No. 2 Carlos Alcaraz.

Sinner and Alcaraz have emerged as the frontrunners in the ATP's Next Gen project. Both have successfully graduated from that level, winning the prestigious 21-and-under tournament and going on to achieve greater heights.

Alcaraz, 20, has already won two Grand Slams, becoming the first man born after 1990 to win multiple majors. He also became the youngest World No. 1 in ATP history at the age of 19 in 2022.

Despite being two years ahead in terms of age, Sinner's growth on the ATP Tour has been slightly slower than that of Alcaraz, but he has previously spoken about following his "own path" rather than focussing on direct comparisons with the Spaniard.

And now one of his coaches, Simone Vagnozzi, has stated that the Alcaraz is not the yardstick for Sinner, although he praised the young Spaniard. Vagnozzi, who is one-half of the 2023 ATP Coach of the Year, believes Sinner still has plenty of work to do.

"Carlos is two years younger, but he’s already at a good point on many things. Jannik still has a lot of work to do. So let’s not take Alcaraz as a point of reference; he has to go on the road. He often reaches the end in tournaments, and, sooner or later, the opportunity arises."

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Sinner won his first Masters 1000 at long last in 2023 and reached a Grand Slam semifinal for the first time at Wimbledon. He also registered double-digit wins against Top 10 players to showcase his remarkable case for being an elite athlete.

While many feel Sinner's mentality has improved following the appointment of Darren Cahill - the renowned Australian coach who has worked with top names in the past - the presence of Vagnozzi cannot be disregarded.

The Italian coach is also a former pro and spends the most time in training with Sinner instead of Cahill, who majors in the mental aspects. Vagnozzi has witnessed firsthand some of the subtle improvements in Sinner's game, including the serve, and is excited that there is room to grow and make him a better player than he is now.

"The serve has improved, but he has to learn to manage it and to vary it better. Tactically, sometimes he can make some more variations. Basically, there are still things to fine-tune, but Jannik is so strong that he has already won a lot."

"Sinner does not start off beaten against anyone, but I believe he has a different path from Carlos who, despite being two years younger, is already ahead technically and physically. Definitely, getting to the bottom of tournaments can give you more awareness."

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