Adriano Panatta explains why Jannik Sinner’s matches are boring

Jannik Sinner didn’t disappoint his fans in his first match at the Nitto ATP Finals, in which he defeated Alex de Minaur without losing a single set. The world No. 1 – who received the trophy for finishing the season at the top of the ATP ranking – was almost flawless on his debut in Turin, thanks in part to the relentless support of the crowd.

Italian fans love their idol, who made his debut in Turin in 2021 (replacing the injured Matteo Berrettini) and came close to lifting the trophy last year when he lost to Novak Djokovic in the final. In the last twelve months, many things have changed. The 23-year-old from Sesto Pusteria has won two Grand Slam titles, climbed to the top of the rankings and has lost only six matches since January. Jannik is the top favorite to win the ATP Finals in 2024, especially after the health problems suffered by his great rival Carlos Alcaraz in recent days.

Sinner’s main rival for victory should be Alexander Zverev, who has a very dangerous game on this surface and has already won in Turin in 2021. The German champion – who won the last Masters 1000 of the season – had a very brilliant debut against Andrey Rublev yesterday.

The world No. 1 will face Taylor Fritz today, a very tough opponent on such a fast surface. Jannik will start as the clear favorite according to the bookmakers, being a more complete player than the American and having already beaten him in the US Open final a couple of months ago. However – even if he were to beat Fritz – Sinner would not be certain to enter the semifinals but would have to wait for the last day of the group stage (in which he will face Daniil Medvedev).

The 2-time Grand Slam champion won seven titles in 2024 and was often dominant throughout the season. The 23-year-old from Sesto Pusteria has suffered only six defeats in the entire season, including three against Carlitos Alcaraz. The other losses were against Stefanos…