"Look at Pete Sampras" says Andy Roddick to Jannik Sinner

Jannik Sinner has been one of the biggest tennis talents to emerge in recent memory. The Italian has been achieving notable results since bursting onto the scene at age 18. He has many admirers and one of them is former World Number 1, Andy Roddick.

Asked what the Italian can improve Roddick said:

“On his backhand side, you’d like to see him be able to check down and keep that ball in play, as opposed to just trying to force the issue over and over. But that’s also one of his strengths, so you’d have to work on that really diligently."

Sinner will face Jenson Brooksby in the Citi Open Washington semifinal later today and Roddick would like the Italian to look at Sampras for inspiration. He said:

"What I’d like to see is a little more direction, more of that ‘Sampras tail’ as I call it. You can serve it 111 [mph] out wide, but if it’s coming straight, it’s pretty easy for the opponent to square up."

Roddick further explaiend:

“But if you have that [Sampras] thing, where it’s 108 out wide, but in the last little bit, before it gets to you, it tails away and grinds against your racquet strings, it makes it a lot tougher.”