Former Wimbledon champion believes Jannik Sinner is more difficult to beat than tennis legend Pete Sampras
ATP
Following his impressive 2024 season, World No.1 Jannik Sinner has been deemed a tougher opponent to defeat that 14-time Grand Slam champion Pete Sampras, according to former Wimbledon finalist Richard Krajicek.
Sinner has had a spectacular season, winning seven ATP titles including the Australian Open and the US Open. Additionally, the 23-year old became the first Italian to reach the World No.1 ranking, and will finish the year at that position regardless of his results at the ongoing ATP Finals.
Krajicek claims beating Sinner is tougher than beating Sampras
Sinner has lost only six matches this year, three of which have come at the hands of rival Carlos Alcaraz. Rotterdam Open tournament director Krajicek believes it would be more difficult to defeat Sinner now than to beat all-time great Pete Sampras during his playing days.
"Beating Sinner today is more difficult than beating Sampras when I was playing,” said the 1996 Wimbledon champion. "Sampras was an incredible player but I knew that if I could attack him on the backhand I would have a chance to beat him. Everyone can do everything and moves very well. I look at them and think: if I played now, how could I beat them? Today Sinner has no weaknesses.
"They all manage themselves differently. Players have longer careers, have better teams, and in general are much more complete. When I played, even the best had weaknesses: the backhand for Sampras, the serve maybe for [Andre] Agassi. I went on court and had the feeling that I could beat anyone, even Sampras who I defeated six times. Let’s say I’m happy to have played in the 90s."
"They all manage themselves differently. Players have longer careers, have better teams, and in general are much more complete. When I played, even the best had weaknesses: the backhand for Sampras, the serve maybe for [Andre] Agassi. I went on court and had the feeling that I could beat anyone, even Sampras who I defeated six times. Let’s say I’m happy to have played in the 90s."
#NittoATPFinals 💪🏻 pic.twitter.com/7VHtXH2NGM
— Jannik Sinner (@janniksin) November 14, 2024
Growing up in a household where soccer was king, my earliest memories are filled with chants from packed stadiums and the rhythm of a ball being passed across neighborhood streets. But somewhere along the way, the quiet elegance and raw emotion of tennis pulled me in. What began as a curiosity became a lifelong passion; not just for the sport itself, but for the stories it tells: of grit, of heartbreak, of improbable comebacks and human resilience.
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