Novak Djokovic Warned He May Struggle to Beat Jannik Sinner Again as Italian is Compared to Mike Tyson

The Italian tennis legend Adriano Panatta has likened Jannik Sinner’s aggressive style of play to that of boxing icon Mike Tyson, particularly in how Sinner starts out his matches. Panatta, the former singles world No. 4, believes Novak Djokovic’s chances against Sinner are becoming slimmer by the day, especially in Grand Slam tournaments, and claims that Carlos Alcaraz is the only player currently capable of stopping the young Italian maestro.

Sinner just secured his second Grand Slam title by defeating Taylor Fritz quite comfortably in straight sets in the 2024 US Open final, further cementing his position as the world’s top-ranked tennis star. Sinner now holds a huge lead of over 4000 points ahead of second-ranked German Alexander Zverev. This victory marks the 23-year old’s 6th title in what has been a stellar 2024 for him.

Speaking on the La Telefonota podcast, Panatta compared Sinner’s approach in matches to Tyson’s ferocity in the boxing ring, emphasizing the Italian’s relentless mentality on the tennis court.

He said “Sinner is the only player who steps onto the court without waiting. I think of Tyson in his early matches when he would just go out and attack until his opponent was down,” said Panatta, the former French Open champion.

“Sinner has that same mentality. He plays with aggression, even if he makes a few errors. He never waits. This is what sets him apart from other players, and it’s the same approach Alcaraz uses when he’s in form. In fact, I believe Alcaraz is the only one who can beat him right now.”

Panatta went on to express doubt about Djokovic’s ability to defeat Sinner, particularly in the longer three-out-of-five-set format typically seen in Grand Slam matches.

“I don’t think Djokovic can beat him, maybe in a two-set match, but not in three out of five. Sinner doesn’t drop his level and he avoids making costly mistakes.”

In 2024, Sinner and Djokovic did face each other once, with the Italian prevailing in four sets during the semi-finals of the Australian Open in January. Though Djokovic holds a narrow 4-3 advantage in their overall head-to-head meetings, Sinner has won three of their last four encounters.

Panatta had previously predicted that repeated losses to Sinner could potentially shorten Djokovic’s stellar career. Last year, he remarked that if Sinner were to defeat Djokovic two or three times in 2024, it could push the Serbian towards retirement.

“In my view, if Sinner beats Djokovic a few more times this season, he could become Djokovic’s nightmare, edging him closer to retirement,” Panatta said. “History tends to repeat itself. Bjorn Borg retired when John McEnroe came on the scene, and McEnroe eventually stepped aside when Boris Becker arrived.”

Sinner’s rise to the top of the tennis world has undoubtedly caught the attention of tennis fans and experts alike. With his aggressive mindset and consistent performances, the Italian seems set to remain a dominant force on the ATP Tour for many years to come.