“We should look for an opponent in another galaxy because here on earth there is no one who can worry him”, said Former ATP pro Adriano Panatta on Jannik Sinner. Such is his supremacy on the court that this season saw him winning 73 of his 79 singles matches! Not to mention the epic title victories at the Australian Open, US Open, the ATP Finals, and the Davis Cup triumph for Italy. Undoubtedly, this year has belonged to ‘Winner Sinner’. Now, Novak Djokovic, who held the No. 1 position for record 428 weeks, gave his remarks for Sinner’s next year and years to come.

Novak Djokovic had an interaction with Italian magazine La Gazzetta dello Sport of SportWeek, as reported by tennis insider Giovanni Pelazzo in a post on X, dated November 30. The former World No.1 revealed his admiration for Jannik Sinner, owing to his record-breaking season in 2024. Reflecting on the same, Djokovic said that he wasn’t actually surprised to see Sinner’s meteoric rise. Why? “I remember Sinner when he was 14/15 years old and, even then, people spoke well of him. You could see that he would have a great career,” he said. The Serbian also added that he really likes the Italian “because he always wants to improve”.

When asked what would he tell him to get even better and stay at the top, Djokovic said, “Advice? It seems to me that he is doing well, even without my advice!” Per Djokovic, Sinner is already performing at the highest level. But he did say that “It is one thing to win the first two Slams and become No. 1” and “another to stay at this level for many years.”

That’s really an important tip, especially coming from someone who was is one of Big 3. Additionally, he also lauded the rise of women’s tennis in Italy, highlighting Jasmine Paolini, Sara Errani and Lucia Bronzetti’s BJK Cup title triumph this month. While appreciating them, Djoker said, “I am impressed by the results not only of men but also of women’s tennis, from Paolini to Bronzetti and before them Errani. Today’s success is the logical consequence of all the investments made in players, coaches and clubs. It is proof that if you invest in the right way in the long term, in the end you are repaid.”

Coming back to Jannik, Novak said that he “has understood what he needs”. He suggested that the Fox’s got an amazing awareness of the sport in order to be the best. Probably that’s the reason why even Sinner’s contemporaries consider him to be unbeatable. Take for example Casper Ruud!

Casper Ruud reveals Jannik Sinner doesn’t allow his opponents to breathe

The Norwegian ATP pro witnessed the wrath of Sinner first hand, earlier this month in the ATP Finals. After losing to him in the SF (1-6, 2-6), Ruud reflected on what happened during the match. In an official interview, he put Sinner above the likes of Novak Djokovic. Especially when it comes to on-court dominance and hitting the ball. “I mean, I think on TV it looks probably similar the way they play. But Jannik hits a faster ball than Novak. He doesn’t let you breathe,” he said.

Moreover, he said that Jannik simply doesn’t give any chance to his opponents. There seems to be an invisible danger looming over them due to his unparalleled movement and accuracy. “For me, you don’t realize how fast Jannik plays unless you watch him play live,” he said. While making yet another comparison with Novak, Ruud said, “With Novak, you can play rallies. Not going to say it’s easier to play Novak because he’s the best in history. At least with Novak, you can play more rallies and not be terrified of Novak ripping, like, a bomb down the line or cross-court or these things.”

A similar sentiment was echoed by former ATP pro Hugues Laverdiere. In an episode of the Serving Aces: Conversations with Alexandra Stevenson podcast, dated November 19, he praised Sinner’s hard-hitting style, which makes him unplayable. “Opponents can’t breathe, they can’t just get into a rally. They feel like they’re missing opportunities to just having the time to rally. They’re under pressure all the time,” said Laverdiere.

It will be interesting to see whether Sinner will be able to dominate the court in 2025. Do think he will reign supreme in the next season too? Let us know in the comments below.