World number one Jannik Sinner has responded to Britain’s young
tennis star Jack Draper after he commented that the biggest weakness of the young
Italian is that he is ‘too nice’. The 23-year-old is already regarded as one of
the best players currently playing in men’s tennis in the singles category, along
with Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz and Serbia’s Novak Djokovic.
On the other hand, Draper has also been regarded as one of
the most talented players currently playing in men’s tennis. He also has the
advantage of being a left-hander. Both players faced each other in the semifinal
of the US Open, where Sinner came out on top in straight sets with a score of
7-5, 7-6, 6-2. Talking after the match, the Sutton-born was asked what is the
biggest weakness of the Italian, to which he responded by stating that he is ‘too nice’.
Sinner, while talking to the media, responded to that comment
by stating that it is not ‘true’. The reigning world number one highlighted the
reason which led Draper to say that both are good friends off the court and
even played as a doubles pair in the past as well.
“No, that's not true,” said the San Candido-born. “We know
each other very well. We had a chance to play doubles together. We give
ourselves sometimes some tactical, you know, for example, when he has to play
against certain players, you know, sometimes if he asks me, I give him couple
of things trying to play against. Obviously, I know I'm righty and he's lefty,
so it's completely different. Yeah, I feel like we are both very nice off the
court. We are good friends. On the court, then we try to play some good tennis,
and I think that's also what the crowd wants to see. So it's good.”
Sinner, who will be playing in his first-ever US Open final,
will face America’s Taylor Fritz on Sunday. The 26-year-old defeated fellow
countryman Frances Tiafoe in a five-set thriller with a score of 4-6, 7-5, 4-6,
6-4, 6-1.
Azeem Siddiqui is a seasoned sports journalist and data analyst with a strong background in both digital media and live sports production.
He began his journalism career working with partners of The New York Times and has since contributed to several leading international sports publications, including Fox Sports Asia, Calciomercato, and GiveMeSport. Since 2023, Azeem has been part of the TennisUpToDate team, where he has played a key role in sustaining the platform’s growth and ensuring tennis fans receive timely and reliable coverage of the sport’s biggest stories.
In addition to his editorial work, Azeem has extensive experience as a data analyst in live sports broadcasting—particularly in cricket—where he combines analytical precision with creative storytelling. He has collaborated with multiple production companies and cricket boards worldwide, delivering real-time insights and data-driven narratives during live match coverage.