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‘Currently the Best Player in the World’ – Novak Djokovic Comes to Terms With Reality as He Dethrones Himself From the Tennis’ Summit

Published 04/07/2024, 2:03 AM EDT

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via Reuters

Novak Djokovic has gracefully transitioned from one era to the next in tennis. While he has long admired his former rivals, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, a shift has occurred as he now recognizes the emerging star of the current generation, Jannik Sinner. Observing the Italian’s development on the court, the 24-time Grand Slam champion has accepted the reality that things have changed.

Along with that, he not only praised the 22-year-old tennis sensation but at the same time tagged him as the ‘best player in the world’, highlighting how the youngster might be better than him in the current tennis scenario.

“we have seen the difference in Jannik” – Novak Djokovic shares a Jannik Sinner tennis reality 

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Even after being world number one for a good amount of time now, Djokovic has faced defeat from the rising tennis sensation, Sinner, who has now reached the second spot in the ATP ranking. Looking in the way, he has taken a rise on the court. The 36-year-old Serbian tennis player said a huge tennis reality regarding how the Italian is better than him in the current athletic scenario.

via Reuters

He stated, “Jannik is currently the best player in the world. He only lost one match, he has improved in all areas of his game, he moves better, he is very present mentally. In important matches, we have seen the difference in Jannik over the past six months. He wins the big matches. He learned from his mistakes and he is very present in important moments.” 

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Along with that, the 24-time Grand Slam champion not only talked about how Sinner represented himself as an athlete and made him better but also acknowledged his presence of mind that he has been walking differently from the past few months. Not only did he praise him, but he also accepted the reality that there is someone who is better than him in the tennis world.

Subsequently, the 22-year-old Grand Slam champion is someone who has defeated the world number one in three of their past four meetings, all of which were higher-level matches of the various tournaments. A few days ago, Mats Wilander paid Jannik Sinner the highest praise possible by comparing the Italian’s recent progress to Novak Djokovic’s revolutionary journey as a tennis player.

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Is Sinner’s sudden rise similar to Djokovic’s?

Mats Wilander, the former world No. 1 ranked player, compared Sinner’s development to Novak Djokovic’s early career path, drawing comparisons between Djokovic’s rise from a promising prospect to being one of tennis’ biggest stars alongside Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal.

He said, “It’s an incredible improvement, an improvement that I don’t think I’ve seen in a young player since the ‘Big 3,’ when Novak Djokovic went from being a normal player to understanding: ‘I am better than these guys. If I play close to my best, I can just play my game.’ That’s the improvement Jannik Sinner has made.” He climbed to a career-high No. 2 in the ATP Rankings, bolstered by three recent championships, and earned victories at the Canadian Open, China Open, and Vienna Open, culminating in leading Italy to the Davis Cup title.

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Nevertheless, what are your thoughts on Sinner’s rise? Do let us know in the comment section below.

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Written by:

Pratishtha Prakash

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Pratishtha Prakash, tennis writer and resident analyst at EssentiallySports isn't just a sports journalist; she's a storyteller who found her true calling in tennis content. It is something she seamlessly integrates into both her professional and personal realms. Having professional certifications in content and digital marketing, Pratishtha has made it a habit to hone her skills as a quality journalist.
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Edited by:

Ananya Giri