“He was unconfident and average”: Patrick Mouratoglou makes surprising admission about Sinner’s Wimbledon title
ATPMonday, 20 July 2026 at 00:30
Jannik Sinner’s Wimbledon title defence may have been even more impressive than it appeared. That is the view of Patrick Mouratoglou, who believes the Italian did not produce his best level throughout the tournament but still managed to win his fifth Grand Slam title.
The French coach analysed Sinner’s victory over Alexander Zverev in the final and argued that the world No. 1 was operating well below his usual standards during the fortnight. According to Mouratoglou, the fact that Sinner could lift the trophy without reaching his peak level shows another dimension of his dominance.
“It was not a great Sinner and imagine, he won a Grand Slam,” Mouratoglou said in a recent Instagram video. “This Sinner, if you compare his usual level in the last month to his level during Wimbledon, I would say he was at 65-70%.”
Sinner arrived at Wimbledon looking to respond after a disappointing Roland Garros campaign, where he suffered a shock second-round defeat against Juan Manuel Cerundolo after struggling in extreme conditions in Paris. Instead of playing traditional grass-court preparation events, the Italian focused on training and arrived at the All England Club determined to rebuild his confidence.
Mouratoglou believes Sinner proved a major point at Wimbledon
Despite not being at his best, Sinner found a way through a difficult draw and eventually defeated Zverev in four sets to successfully defend his Wimbledon crown. The victory made him the 10th man in the Open Era to retain the men’s singles title at the All England Club and strengthened his position at the top of the sport.
However, Mouratoglou believes the most important aspect of the tournament was not necessarily Sinner’s level, but his ability to overcome moments where his game was not flowing naturally.
“I felt that he was unconfident,” the coach explained. “Yes, he had a very big disappointment in Roland Garros, but it’s not that he didn’t play well before that. He won a number of matches without losing one, so he should have been super confident.”
According to Mouratoglou, Sinner’s struggles were visible in several areas of his game during the final stages of the tournament, particularly against Zverev. The Italian was not as aggressive as usual, made more mistakes from his forehand side and occasionally moved backwards instead of imposing himself from the baseline.
“In the final, he missed so many forehands and he was moving backwards,” Mouratoglou added. “Usually, he always goes forward. On the returning side, he was not as good by far.”
A Wimbledon title that could make Sinner even stronger
For Mouratoglou, those weaknesses do not diminish Sinner’s achievement. Instead, they could become an important lesson for the future. The Italian proved that his game, mentality and physical level are now strong enough to win major tournaments even when everything is not perfect.
“Even though he was very average, I think it’s going to be very useful for the future for him to know that he can win a Grand Slam being at 70% in terms of quality of tennis,” Mouratoglou added.
With five Grand Slam titles already and back-to-back Wimbledon championships, Jannik Sinner continues to strengthen his position as the clear world No. 1. The Italian currently holds a commanding lead over his closest rival, Alexander Zverev, with a gap of nearly 5,000 ranking points separating the two.
That advantage, combined with his consistency at the biggest events, makes a change at the top of the ATP rankings increasingly unlikely in the coming months.
"It has been an amazing final once again and it always takes two players," said Sinner during the trophy ceremony. "Sascha and I tried to give everything we had. I am very happy about the win, but also the level that we both played.”
According to Mouratoglou, the most worrying sign for his rivals may not be when Sinner is playing his best tennis — but when he is not, and still finds a way to win.
Cristhián AvilaTennis Journalist
Cristhián Ávila is a tennis journalist based in Santiago, Chile, and has been part of the TennisUpToDate team since early 2023. He covers the ATP and WTA Tours as well as all four Grand Slams, producing breaking news, match reports, analysis, and regular liveblogs from major tournaments.
His reporting combines statistical analysis with clear explanation, helping readers understand tactical developments, player form, and broader storylines across the tour. Working fluently in both Spanish and English, Cristhián collaborates with an international editorial team and contributes to comprehensive global coverage. As part of his work, he has conducted interviews and media interactions with leading figures in the sport, including Caroline Wozniacki and John McEnroe.
In his journalism, Cristhián places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available. His coverage is grounded in research, context, and direct engagement with professional tennis.
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