Adriano
Panatta compared his compatriot
Jannik Sinner to
Rafael Nadal and Novak
Djokovic after the 2024
Australian Open title. The campaign of the world No. 4
in Melbourne was flawless throughout the tournament, but he faced serious
difficulties against Daniil Medvedev, overcoming a two-set deficit.
In a final
that will be remembered for not featuring any members of the Big-3 for the
first time in 19 years, Sinner and Medvedev delivered a thrilling 5-set
spectacle where the Russian took the first two sets. The final score was 3-6,
3-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-3 in favor of the young Italian, reminiscent of the 2022 final
where Nadal also came back from two sets down against Medvedev to claim the
title.
Sinner
becomes the second Italian to win a Grand Slam title in the Open Era, matching
the achievement of Adriano Panatta in the 1976 French Open. The veteran Italian
commented on Sinner's outstanding level: "He is a complete tennis player,
with a mentality that allows him to no longer fear anyone. He is cold, he does
not tremble at anything," he added.
"The
head: everything comes from the head... From that point of view, Jannik reminds
me of Nadal, someone who doesn't give up a 15, who fights on the first ball of
the match as if it were the last. And the nice thing is that, at 22 years old,
he still has a lot of room for improvement," he said.
“Jannik is
an excellent export product of our country, he only transmits values: he is
polite, intelligent, respectful of everyone, with a sense of humor, which
doesn't hurt. He is a decent person, never over the top," Panatta added.
"Even
those who believe that tennis is played with a spoon [are talking about him]!
But a tennis champion who brings good messages is good for everyone. His
example helps society," he conluded.