Jannik Sinner stirred up speculations with his choice of selecting the best shots in the history of the Monte Carlo Masters. He chose the shot played by Rafael Nadal during the 2009 final against Novak Djokovic. Sinner was shown a few of the top shots from the event over the years. The rallies included Nadal versus Diego Schwartzman, Boris Becker against Sergi Bruguera, Pablo Carreno Busta versus Fabio Fognini, and Daniel Gimeno Traver against Pablo Cuevas.
The 2009 Monte Carlo final between Djokovic and Nadal ranks as one of the best matches played in the sport. One of the most famous rallies in the match was during the opening game of the third set. Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz chose that point as the best point ever played in the Monte Carlo Masters. The majority of the players felt that Becker’s shot against Bruguera in 1991 was the best at the event.
Sinner’s choice reflects his personality in the game. Flamboyant shots or a single outrageous shot at the end of the rally do not influence the Italian. He considered all the factors when judging a point. Sinner analyzed the court coverage, shot selection, and power of groundstrokes while selecting the best point.
In the point between Nadal and Djokovic, both players are putting in maximum effort and patiently waiting to make use of the opportunity. The Spaniard’s attack and defense were perfect, while Djokovic’s attack and drop shot were majestic. He gave his best effort to break through Nadal’s defense and did not expect Nadal to return his drop shot from such an angle.
Sinner choosing the Nadal versus Djokovic point indicates that the future of the game is in safe hands. He prioritises winning the point rather than the means taken to do it. Sinner and Alcaraz have proved themselves as loyal supporters of Nadal.
Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz take inspiration from Rafael Nadal
Sinner and Alcaraz have been fans of Nadal since their childhood. Both players grew up watching the Spaniard dominate the tour. The youngsters have had the privilege of playing against their idol. While Alcaraz has one win in three matches against Nadal, Sinner has yet to secure a win against the veteran in three matches. He last played against Nadal in 2021. Meanwhile, Alcaraz had last played against Nadal in 2022.
After the 2024 Australian Open this year, Sinner showed admiration for Nadal’s fighting spirit on the court. He had practiced with the former world during the 2021 Australian Open. Sinner confessed in a press conference during the tournament (via TennisHead) that practicing with Nadal was an invaluable lesson to him as it gave him the right mentality on the court. Just like Nadal, the 22-year-old has the capacity to slowly construct points and at the same surprise his opponent with powerful groundstrokes.
Nadal has not only inspired Sinner but also Alcaraz. The world No.3 has been watching Nadal play since childhood. He had first met the 37-year-old in Madrid in 2016.
Alcaraz has been motivated by Nadal’s fighting spirit and his ability to find solutions when things are not going his way. The 20-year-old similar to Nadal never gives up on a point and challenges his physical limits against the opponents on the court.
