Pagkumpara sa kaniya kina Djokovic at Alcaraz, hindi pinansin ni Sinner
Jannik Sinner has won three ATP titles this year, including the Australian Open / Valery HACHE / AFP/File
Binalewala ni Jannik Sinner ang ideya na siya ang pinakamahusay na manlalaro sa mundo sa ngayon, at sinabing hindi siya dapat ikumpara sa mga nangunguna niyang karibal na sina Novak Djokovic at Carlos Alcaraz.
Ang Italian world number two ay maaaring makalapit sa standing ng top-ranked na si Djokovic sakaling manalo siya sa Madrid ngayong dalawang linggo. Dumating naman siya sa kabisera ng Espanya na puno ng kumpiyansa at may dalang impresibong 25-2 win-loss record para sa season.
Ang kasalukuyang Australian Open champion, na nagmamay-ari ng tour-leading three titles ngayong 2024, ay ranked number one sa Race to Turin ng ATP, at lamang ng 1,650 points sa second-placed na si Daniil Medvedev.
Sinabi ng 22-anyos na si Sinner, “I think it’s a tough question to answer. We always see only this moment and I think that sometimes it’s good but also not good.”
Aniya, “I still believe that you cannot compare myself with Novak with all that he has done. And the same goes for Carlos. Also Carlos won more than me. I have a lot of respect for both of them. I just try to play my game, trying to understand what works best for me and then we see what I can achieve.”
Si Sinner ay hindi pa nakalampas sa ikatlong round sa alinman sa kanyang nakaraang dalawang paglalaro sa Caja Magica, ngunit nais niyang baguhin iyon sa pagkakataong ito.
Ngayong wala si Djokovic, na umatras sa torneo, si Sinner ang top seed sa Madrid, kung saan makakaharap niya si Richard Gasquet o Lorenzo Sonego sa second round.
Ayon kay Sinner, “I used to struggle quite a lot in the previous years, finding my level here, so it’s going to be interesting to see how I’m going to play this year.”
Carlos Alcaraz has struggled with injury in recent weeks / WILLIAM WEST / AFP/File
Samantala, walang pag-aalinlangan si Alcaraz na ilarawan si Sinner bilang ang pinakamahusay, at kinikilala ng Spanish world number three na magiging mahirap na subukang pigilan ang kanyang matalik na kaibigan at karibal na makuha ang top spot sa rankings.
Sinabi ng two-time Madrid defending champion, “He’s dangerous, he’s really dangerous. He’s the best player in the world right now. Probably everybody thinks that his tennis doesn’t suit very much clay but he makes good results on clay as well, he can win every tournament he goes to, and I’m fighting with him, with Novak, to be in the first spot and I’m trying not to let them stay there.”
Ayon pa kay Alcaraz, “Honestly it’s going to be difficult. They deserve to be there and let’s see what’s going to happen the next tournaments.”
Ang 20-anyos na si Alcaraz ay nagkaroon ng right arm injury kaya napilitan siya na hindi maglaro sa mga torneo sa Monte Carlo at Barcelona.
Aniya, “I managed to increase the intensity of my training since my arrival in Madrid and I am hoping to be 100 percent ready for my opener on Saturday against Arthur Rinderknech or Alexander Shevchenko.”
Sa bisperas ng torneo, dumalo si Alcaraz sa Laureus World Sports Awards upang iprisinta sa Real Madrid star na si Jude Bellingham ang Breakthrough of the Year award, at nagbigay siya ng isang kahanga-hangang talumpati, sa Ingles, sa harap ng audience.
Sinabi ni Alcaraz, “I didn’t feel comfortable on the stage. I was so nervous. I practised that speech during the week almost 50 times just to make sure it’s going to be perfect and I was shaking, my legs were shaking. I’m not used to giving a speech in front of legends of the sports and in front of that kind of people.”
