Boris Becker stops Jannik Sinner: "It’s not a machine"

Jannik Sinner is ready to chase another historic feat: the Rome-Paris double, last achieved by an Italian in 1976 with Adriano Panatta. Also believing in the world number one’s chances is Boris Becker, six-time Slam champion and former coach of Novak Djokovic, who is convinced that the South Tyrolean has everything to succeed. “That’s the right word: historic. What Sinner has done on clay seems normal, but it’s not. There is only one player who has won three consecutive Masters 1000s on clay: Nadal, the greatest ever on this surface. Neither Djokovic, Federer, nor anyone else has succeeded.”

According to the German, Sinner’s secret goes beyond technical or athletic talent: “These ingredients together make up an explosive mixture, but I think it all starts with the mind. His mentality is unparalleled. Ninety-five percent of players, after winning Monte Carlo or starting a streak like his, would lose some focus in the next tournament. Jannik, on the other hand, is the opposite: he lifts the trophy, takes a shower, gets some sleep, and a few days later starts right back up again. This is a skill I have found only among the greatest.”

The comparison with Djokovic is inevitable, even for those who have worked side by side with the Serbian. “The way he’s playing now, yes. But we are talking about the most successful player in history, so to follow in Novak’s footsteps, Sinner will have to maintain this level for another ten years. But right now there is no denying that he is going exactly in that direction. That said, I don’t think it’s fair to compare him to anyone. He is building his own path, with his own signature. He’s playing like the best Jannik Sinner ever, and that’s the only comparison that should matter.”

Now the goal is called Roland Garros. There are only a few days between the triumph in Rome and the debut in Paris, and for Becker, energy management will be decisive. “This is the biggest challenge. I think he did well to go back to the mountains, to Sesto Pusteria. It’s the best way to recharge her energy, stay away from the noise and choose to be with family and friends.”

After Paris, Sinner will skip the preparatory tournaments on grass before Wimbledon. A choice Becker approves of without hesitation. “No, in fact, I was really hoping they would decide that way. No matter the result in Paris: he needs to stop. What he is doing is almost inhuman; he is not a machine. He needs time to recover, physically and emotionally. If he plays every day, inspiration wanes. He has to keep loving what he does, or he risks not winning anymore.”