One could hardly imagine a player who’s won three Grand Slam titles and is in the form of his life to be so down-to-earth. Such is Jannik Sinner’s attitude that he seldom brags about his wins. The World Number 1 is in the pre-quarterfinals of the Wimbledon Championships after some easy wins in the earlier rounds. Earlier today, he defeated Pedro Martinez in straight sets 6-1, 6-3, 6-1 to progress through. The win was made even more special with the presence of some of the icons of the sporting world. Subsequently, after the match, Sinner made a candid confession about playing in front of the legends.

During Sinner’s match against Martinez, the likes of Andy Roddick and Billie Jean King were present in the Royal Box to witness the live action. Other sporting legends like Sir Jason and Dame Laura Kenny also made it there to watch Sinner play. This could’ve added extra motivation for Sinner during his third-round match, but he made a down-to-earth admission.

After the match, the Italian star was asked about his feelings of playing in front of legends like Roddick and Billie Jean King. Sinner stated, “What can I say? I feel like I haven’t won anything compared to all of you. Thank you so much. It’s a huge honor to play in front of you. For us athletes, especially tennis players, it’s very nice to see new faces. We are not used to playing in front of so many special guests. So thank you so much. I hope you enjoy the rest of your day here.”

Despite having a rapid rise in his career and being the top-ranked player in the men’s circuit, Sinner has never boasted about his achievements and always remained down-to-earth. Moreover, his focus has solely been on the court, and he seldom engages with off-court events. This goes to show how much he prioritizes his tennis career over anything else.

Meanwhile, Jannik Sinner has earned the praise of legends like Roddick after putting on impressive performances week after week. The American legend revealed Sinner’s unique quality, which made him extra special.

Andy Roddick lauds Jannik Sinner for direct approach

Playing against players like Novak Djokovic often needs a special and different approach. However, Jannik Sinner has adopted a direct approach while playing against the top players. Roddick gave an example from Sinner’s win over Djokovic at the French Open to explain how Sinner’s direct approach was so effective.

Roddick said, “It’s the first time I’ve seen someone go through Novak, like straight through him. Sinner is the first person I have seen do that. Even when Alcaraz beats him it’s drop shots, quick bang tennis. There is a little more variety. It’s the first time I have seen someone take the middle of the court from Novak over and over and over again. Not for a point, not for a set. But Novak had to try and stay away from the centre of the court and that’s where he has made his living. You can’t go through him. Sinner can, and he did.”

Jannik Sinner will next take on Grigor Dimitrov in the round of 16 clash tomorrow. The match can be followed on EssentiallySports’ Live Blog. Do you think that Sinner can go to the distance and win the Wimbledon title? Let us know your views in the comments below.