Novak Djokovic will find Jannik Sinner ‘tough to beat’ in Wimbledon semi-final says Mats Wilander

As Jannik Sinner prepares to face Novak Djokovic in the semi-final at Wimbledon, Mats Wilander believes the Italian will draw inspiration from his performance in last year’s defeat to the 23-time grand slam champion.

Sinner reached his first grand slam semi-final by beating Roman Safiullin 6-4 3-6 6-2 6-2 on Tuesday, setting up a rematch with seven-time Wimbledon winner Djokovic.

Last year’s quarter-final defeat to Djokovic will be fresh in Sinner’s mind. Although he eventually crashed out of the tournament on a score of 7-5 6-2 3-6 2-6 2-6, the 21-year-old will take confidence from winning the first two sets.

And Wilander believes his performance on grass shows he will be a “tough” opponent for Djokovic, even if he’s still a “work in progress”.

“It was just a matter of time I think before he was going to reach his first semi-final,” said Wilander.

“He’s a great grass player, a great player in general, but I think grass might become and be his best surface because he plays so aggressively.

“And obviously it’s difficult to move on a grass court so he’s going to be in charge because he hits the ball so hard. And then I have to say when I watch him move on a grass court, I can’t help but think that he was a great skier, Italian champion in 14 and under, and I mean he’s literally on skis on a grass court with sliding, using the edges of his shoes.

“He’s changed his serve again. He’s serving better. I think he’s serving harder. He’s changed his foot stance. He’s still a work in progress, but obviously with having two sets to love against Djokovic last year, he believes that he’s a great grass court player and he is, so, he’s going to be tough to beat.”

On last year’s heartbreaking defeat for Sinner, Wilander continued: “Obviously you have to go back to last year, two sets to love up on Centre Court for Jannik Sinner in the quarter-finals and he must believe he has a good chance.

“Has he improved more in one year than Novak has in a year? I mean if you’re just in your early twenties you have to believe that, and you have to believe that it helps that you’re younger.

“Again, obviously Novak Djokovic is doing things today on a tennis court that we’ve never seen done before, so Novak is obviously the favourite, but the two sets to love is going to help him a lot from last year.”

Djokovic, who is searching for his eighth Wimbledon title, came from a set behind to beat Andrey Rublev and will meet Sinner on Friday.

It would be his eighth at the All England Club, equalling Roger Federer’s record and move him one behind nine-time champion Martina Navratilova.

“I don’t know why he shouldn’t be able to win 28, 29, 30 Grand Slams. He is the favourite for Wimbledon which makes him the favourite for the US Open, he’s the favourite for the Australian Open because he’s won it 10 times, he’s the defending champion at next year’s French Open.

“I don’t see a sign that tells me that he is slowing down, I see a lot of signs telling me that he is getting better.”

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