Key Jannik Sinner statistic confirms why he is ahead of Carlos Alcaraz
09/12/2024 02:59 PM
Jannik Sinner’s breakthrough 2024 has yielded two Grand Slam titles, with one key improvement allowing him to move ahead of the pack in the men’s game.
Sinner’s rise to the world No 1 ranking was confirmed after a stellar start to the year that included his first Grand Slam titles at the Australian Open.
He backed that up by winning ATP Tour titles in Rotterdam and Miami, but his run of success dipped after that as he was affected by a hip injury.
Sinner’s world was also thrown into turmoil after it was confirmed he failed two drug tests in March, with a subsequent investigation clearing him of wrongdoing in the case.
His US Open win confirmed Sinner is back to his very best after a turbulent few months and statistics on the ATP Tour website may reveal why he has taken his game to the next level.
The Italian has won 90.76% of his service games so far in 2024, putting him at the top of the list for that statistic among ATP Tour players.
Alexander Zverev is next on the list for successful service games won at 89.79%, with Poland’s Hubert Hurkacz in position No 3 on the list with 89.12%.
US Open runner-up Taylor Fritz is in fourth place with 88.42% success rate in his service games, with Carlos Alcaraz down in 14th place on this list at 84.41%.
Novak Djokovic is in 12th place with 84.60% and US Open semi-finalist Jack Draper is in 19th place with 83.80%.
Sinner introduced a new service motion midway through last season and it has proved to be highly effective, with former British No 1 Greg Rusedksi impressed by the modifications.
Jannik Sinner News
Jannik Sinner delivers GOAT debate verdict and reveals the biggest trash talker on the ATP Tour
Jannik Sinner forced to accept a painful truth after failed drug tests – what comes next?
"He retooled the serve with Darren [Cahill] and that's something very, very difficult to do," Rusedski told ATPTour.com.
"I've been super impressed; the whole team has done a fantastic job with him. And it all started with making a change to the serve, the body, transitioning, adding slice and adding things.
"They're still not 100 per cent natural, but they're only going to get better with time because he's one of those guys who is going to put in the work.
"He got himself in better shape because he's gotten a little bit leaner. He's willing to add in a slice once in a while, transition forward. It's just a mindset.
"There's no real weakness on each side. And I think the more comfortable he gets with transitioning forward with the firepower he has from the back his shot selection has improved.”
Sinner reflects on his rise to the top with humility and he suggests the presence of new champions in the men’s game is good for tennis.
"It is a bit different, for sure," he said. "It's something new, but it's also nice to see – nice to see new champions, nice to see new rivalries.
"I feel it's good for the sport to have some new champions.
"I always have players and I will always have players who are going to make me a better player because there are going to be times where they beat me," he said.
"Then you have to try to find a way how to win against certain players. This makes me realise that the work never stops.
"It's always a continuous work which, at the end of the day, if you want to be a better player, you always have to work and you have to have these daily routines – accept difficult times on court."
Jannik Sinner emerging as the serving king of tennis is a big surprise in 2024 and that may be a primary reason why he has become the man to beat the ATP Tour.
The post Key Jannik Sinner statistic confirms why he is ahead of Carlos Alcaraz appeared first on Tennis365.
