Former tennis players
Jimmy Connors and Spencer Segura discussed the
adjustments that
Jannik Sinner needs to make in his game and suggested that he
adopt an attacking style of tennis like
Carlos Alcaraz.
The
eight-time Grand Slam champion, Connors, commented alongside his friend and
former doubles partner, Spencer Segura, on Sinner's playing style. They both
agreed on Sinner's strength in serving and noted that it surpasses Alcaraz's,
but suggested that Sinner could learn other aspects from the Spaniard:
"He
[Sinner] has got a monster serve, if he hits it in, he’s got a big first serve
that Alcaraz doesn’t have but he’s doing it. He’s playing the way Sinner
should," Segura said.
Connors
remarked that if the Spaniard possessed attributes of Sinner's game, other
aspects of his game might not be as effective: "Isn’t
that the way it normally goes though? I mean, if Alcaraz for instance, had a
serve as big as Sinner, maybe his forehand and the rest of his game, the
movement and everything might not be so good," Connors responded.
Sinner pulled out of the 2024 Rome Open.
"Right,
but I mean you didn’t have a huge serve but if a guy hits short on you and
you’re up 30-0, you’re gonna be in on him. You’re gonna hit an approach shot or
a shot that pulled him off the court,” Segura added. "Once this guy learns
to punish you when he makes the first serve as opposed to get into a point with
you… every time he’s up 30-0 and he hits a big serve, he should pick the point
on the rise and finish the point," he concluded.
As of
now, Sinner has a record of 28-2 in 2024 with three titles. The 22-year-old
Italian experienced hip issues during the
Madrid Open and had to withdraw
before playing the quarterfinals against Felix Auger-Aliassime. Following his
withdrawal in Spain, Sinner announced that he would not be participating in the
Masters 1000
Rome Open, and his participation in the
French Open is still in
doubt.