Jannik Sinner: Anti-Djokovic Strategy Revealed, Training in Scorching Heat

Jannik Sinner completed an intense training session on Thursday afternoon, on the eve of his Wimbledon semifinal against Novak Djokovic, scheduled for Friday after the match between Alexander Zverev and Arthur Fery (starting at 2:30 p.m.).

The session took place in sweltering heat (temperatures in London peaked at 33 degrees) and lasted about an hour and a half: the world No. 1 worked with two sparring partners, who were on the court simultaneously and positioned to cover the entire court. The Italian wanted to test his game plan against Djokovic: trying to move the Serbian star as far back on the court as possible to wear him down, targeting the corners at breakneck speed. Sky reports this.

During the session, Sinner paused several times to hydrate and speak with his two coaches, Simone Vagnozzi and Darren Cahill.

Friday’s match will be the twelfth career meeting between the two, with the South Tyrolean leading the head-to-head series 6-5. At Wimbledon, the Serb prevailed in their first two matches on the London grass—in the quarterfinals of 2022 and the semifinals in 2023—while Sinner got his revenge in the 2025 semifinals with a decisive 6-3, 6-3, 6-4, before going on to win the title. Their most recent meeting this season came in the Australian Open semifinals, where Djokovic prevailed in five sets, 3-6, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4, 6-4.

Among the weapons Sinner will rely on is, in particular, his serve, which has become one of his most obvious strengths in this tournament. The Italian has recorded a total of 97 aces so far, averaging 19.4 per match, and winning over 80% of the points when his first serve lands. This is an extraordinary improvement compared to the past, the result of extensive technical work that has led to changes in his footwork, ball toss, and variety of shots.