"Numbers don’t lie": Jannik Sinner's Miami Open run compared to prime Rafael Nadal on clay by Andy Roddick

Former world number one Andy Roddick has compared Italy’s Jannik Sinner’s current form to prime Rafael Nadal. The Spaniard is often regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of men’s tennis in the singles category, having won as many as 22 Grand Slam titles.

On the other hand, Sinner is often regarded as the most highly-rated player currently playing in the men’s circuit. The current world number continued his impressive run and won the Miami Open after defeating Grigor Dimitrov in the final with a score of 6-3, 6-1.

Roddick was recently quoted in a report where he compared Sinner’s current form with the dream run Nadal had.

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“I’m going to make a point for you about how dominant this performance was by Jannik Sinner. So, as we all know, yes, Novak [Djokovic] is the best of all time. Numbers don’t lie,” he said.

“But the most dominant person when you get on a specific surface at a specific time is Rafa on clay. Right, that’s as indisputable as the GOAT conversation is. I would say that the Rafa conversation on clay maybe even more. It is more so.

“So what are the statistical comps of Jannik Sinner winning one and two in the semis of a 1000 and then three and one in the finals of a 1000?

“2010 Monte Carlo: Rafa Nadal beats [David] Ferrer in the semis; I think it’s like one and two or one and three (6-2, 6-3), and then beats [Fernando] Verdasco in the final zero and one (6-0, 6-1). So to draw a comp to what Sinner just did in Miami, you have to go to prime Nadal on clay and in a Masters 1000.

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“That’s what you’re comparing this dominance to. Sinner this weekend in Miami to Rafa’s best ever finish as far as games lost in a Master’s 1000. Sinner in Miami, Rafa prime on clay—that’s the comp for what he just did.

“I think most of us were saying on the way in that he’s been the best player in the world. I’ve been on record for saying the last five or six months, and he’s beaten all the players; he’s beaten Novak three times; he lost his first six in his career against [Daniil] Medvedev and has won the last five.

“He has won the Masters 1000, has won Davis Cup, has won a Grand Slam, lost to [Carlos] Alcaraz in the semis, won Rotterdam, and won Miami. The statistical comp for what he did last weekend is Rafa in 2010 in Monte Carlo, a tournament that Rafa has won, you know, tens of times, which is also absurd.”

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