Jannik Sinner made a confident start at the Six Kings Slam in Riyadh, defeating Stefanos Tsitsipas in straight sets and arranging a blockbustersemi-final clash against Novak Djokovic.
The Italian recovered from his Shanghai Masters setback, leaving cramps behind and outplaying the Greek with his composure and clean ball striking. Off the court, the 24-year-old took part in a fun challenge.
He created his version of the perfect tennis player, which is never an easy task. Jannik's choices reflected admiration and insight, highlighting the qualities that inspire his game.
Sinner picked John Isner's serve to start the challenge, which is a common option in these questions. He continued with Carlos Alcaraz's forehand and Novak Djokovic's backhand and footwork.
As expected, Roger Federer stood in the volley line, with the Italian acknowledging the Swiss Maestro's sharpness and elegance at the net. Jannik brought Rafael Nadal to the story, calling him the mentally strongest player.
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He honored Alcaraz and Federer again while honoring their tennis IQ, which was another safe bet. Thus, world no. 2 generated a thoughtful list from one of the sport's brightest minds, blending power, precision and mental strength.
After all, that's the mix that has driven his rise to the top in the previous two years. While preparing for the Novak Djokovic clash, Jannik will try to channel a bit of each of those legends on the Riyadh court and seek his spot in the title clash.
The Italian spent 15 months as world no. 1 before losing the throne to Alcaraz after the recent US Open final. Sinner lost his chances to fight for the year-end no. 1 spot following the Shanghai Masters setback.
However, he still wants to finish the season on a high note and add more notable trophies to his impressive CV. But firstly, he seeks the Six Kings Slam title defense and $6 million!
