"A slightly slower game with slightly higher balls": Novak Djokovic urged to disrupt Jannik Sinner in only French Open hope by Toni Nadal
ATPWednesday, 20 May 2026 at 19:18
Novak Djokovic has been urged to disrupt Jannik Sinner if they face off against each other at the French Open according to Toni Nadal who coached his nephew Rafael Nadal for much of his career.
Djokovic was able to throw the Italian off his rhythm during theri 2025 French Open semi-final clash. Sinner won that encounter 6-4, 7-5, 7-6(3) on Philippe Chatrier just under a year ago.
Toni Nadal thinks that in reality Djokovic was onto something with his approach and should do it again in order to try and make him play slower.
Last year, Djokovic did seem to run of steam as his run to the last four took its toll. However solving that issue seemed to be another matter. Uncle Toni seemed to suggest that the standard also of opposition Sinner will face in his bid to win his first Roland Garros is not as strong as decades gone by.
Djokovic could find himself benefiting
Carlos Alcaraz won't play, for instance, and others such as Zverev have injury concerns as well as Taylor Fritz, so Sinner has an easy run to the title, it seems. So, Djokovic will be one of the main players who feasibly could benefit from this. Albeit he hasn't played on clay yet this season, he goes in cold, which could yet be an issue.
"I think the one who played well against him was Djokovic last year, when he played a slightly slower game with slightly higher balls," said Nadal on Radioestacio Noche.
“It’s clear that what Sinner does best is play at a very high tempo, and let’s not forget that, if we have to classify Medvedev among clay-court players, he isn’t in the top 10.
“I remember his frustration at playing on clay, but he’s no [David] Ferrer, [Andy] Murray, [Stan] Wawrinka or [Juan Martin] Del Potro – on clay, I mean. He gave Sinner a bit of a run for his money, but in sport everything can change overnight.
“You have to look at the calibre of the players you’re up against. And I remember that last year Djokovic clearly put Sinner under pressure. Anything can happen, and the players coming up behind must fight as if it were the match of their lives. And then we’ll see.”
Samuel GillEditor-in-Chief
Samuel Gill is the Chief Content Officer (CCO) of TennisUpToDate.com, a role he has held since 2020. He is responsible for editorial governance across the platform, including setting content standards, overseeing accuracy and consistency, and guiding long-term editorial strategy. Since joining, he has contributed more than 10,000 articles and editorial pieces across the TennisUpToDate network, playing a central role in the daily operation and development of the site.
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