Djokovic Congratulates Sinner On Next Gen ATP Finals Triumph

Jannik Sinner’s run to the Next Gen ATP Finals crown in Milan caught the attention of many in the tennis world, including Novak Djokovic.

Following the five-time champion’s opening win against Matteo Berrettini at the Nitto ATP Finals on Sunday, the Serbian took some time to reflect on the 18-year-old’s achievement.

“Congratulations to him for [winning the] Next Gen ATP Finals in Milan,” said Djokovic. “I saw that. It was a very impressive win against De Minaur, [who was also] a finalist last year and is already an experienced player even though he's young but he's had a great season. For Jannik to win that comfortably, it's really impressive at home in Italy.”

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Sinner followed in the footsteps of 2017 winner Hyeon Chung and last year’s champion Stefanos Tsitsipas at the innovative 21-and-under event in Italy. Chung and Tsitsipas used their success in Milan as a springboard, with both men advancing to the semi-finals at the Australian Open in the year following their Milan victories.

“I think the Next Gen ATP Finals tournament is a great way to launch young tennis stars in the world of tennis,” said Djokovic. “He's definitely the next star that people will look at [and] will follow.”

With personal experience of practising alongside the talented 6’2” right-hander, Djokovic also shared his positive outlook on Sinner’s character and his experienced coaching team.

“I have practised with him more than a few times [at the] Piatti Academy in the past several years,” said Djokovic. “He's always been a very, very dedicated young man, very respectful. He's in good hands because Riccardo is a good coach. He used to be my coach, as well. I'm sure they know what they are doing and the results are showing that.”

from Tennis - ATP World Tour https://ift.tt/2NxBoi4