Jannik Sinner recently discussed his much-improved serve this season, but the world No. 1 still believes there is work for him to do with that shot.
Sinner's excellent level this year was overshadowed ahead of the US Open by the news of his positive test for the banned substance clostebol. He was cleared of wrongdoing but was stripped of his points and prize money from the Indian Wells Open.
There was a polarized reaction in the tennis world to the news. Many were unhappy that the investigation was kept private for months and that Sinner was allowed to keep playing, feeling he got preferential treatment.
Roger Federer weighed in on the case, saying he accepted Sinner did not intentionally dope, but he understood others' concerns about whether other players were not treated fairly.
Novak Djokovic also discussed the situation. The 24-time Grand Slam champion wants to see more comprehensive procedures put in place for all players in a similar situation.
That background makes Sinner's focus and performances at the ongoing US Open impressive. He reached the quarterfinal after surviving two brutal sets against Tommy Paul at Arthur Ashe Stadium.
Sinner's serve stood out in the second set of that contest, allowing him to win it on a tiebreak despite Paul dominating from the baseline for long periods. It is not the first time the Italian's serve has proved crucial to his success in 2024.
The Australian Open champion entered the US Open leading the Tour in service games won (91.3%), second-serve points won (57.5%), and break points saved (72.9%). Those are outstanding numbers.
Sinner spoke to the ATP about his serving improvements. He said his consistency with it had gotten better over the last few months, but it was still an area of his game that needed more work.
"There are still signs of sometimes being inconsistent with that shot. It has been more consistent in the last three, four months, that's for sure. Then it's a weapon or a shot where I can put myself a little bit out of danger sometimes, but I still believe that there's a lot of work to do."
"We changed a couple of things with the toss of the ball, and also my mental side. It has been different, trying to play sometimes with a bit more rotation, instead of going to hit the ace or all that stuff."
Former American No. 1 John Isner, who had one of the greatest serves in tennis history, gave an illuminating tactical breakdown of how Sinner has improved his serve this season.
"A lot of people have noticed, myself included, that Sinner has, really since working with Darren Cahill, changed his service motion from platform to pinpoint."
"His serve looks pretty similar to mine and in my mind, that’s the superior way to serve. So he obviously stuck with it. It seems like it would be a simple change, but it’s definitely not."
Isner also said that Sinner does not hit the same number of aces as he did during his career, but the serve helps to set up his next shot perfectly, which is crucial since the 23-year-old is one of the best baseliners in the world.
"It’s not that he’s hitting a million aces like I did, but a little bit better placement allows him to dictate play much quicker in the rally on his serve and we all know he’s one of the best baseliners in the world."
0 Comments