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Former world No 4 Tim Henman has set Emma Raducanu a rankings target for 2026 as he gave his verdict on the Brit’s coaching collaboration with Francisco Roig.

Raducanu is currently ranked 29th in the world, which is her highest ranking position since she dropped the points from her 2021 US Open victory in September 2022. She reached a career-high ranking of world No 10 in July 2022.

The Brit is the No 28 seed at the 2026 Australian Open, and she began her campaign at Melbourne Park with a 6-4, 6-1 opening round victory against world No 197 Mananchaya Sawangkaew.

The 23-year-old’s pre-season was disrupted by bone bruising in her foot, and she fell in three sets to Maria Sakkari at the United Cup in her first match since October.

Raducanu then reached the quarter-finals at the Hobart International last week, where she defeated Camila Osorio in the first round and received a second round walkover before losing to Australian wildcard Taylah Preston.

What did Tim Henman say about Emma Raducanu?

Speaking to TNT Sports, Henman declared that there is “no question” about Raducanu’s tennis ability.

“When I think about Emma Raducanu and her progress from the end of last year into this year, she’s moving in the right direction, but she’s had this problem with her foot,” said the former British No 1.

“She just played one match at United Cup and I think performed well against Sakkari, but Sakkari played very, very well. To me, there’s no question about her tennis ability.”

Henman worked alongside Raducanu’s coach, Roig, in his role as Great Britain’s United Cup captain earlier this month.

The six-time major semi-finalist revealed he was impressed with Roig, who coached tennis icon Rafael Nadal for 18 years.

“I really cannot speak highly enough of him. He was great, fun to be around,” Henman said.

“I feel his knowledge and his input on the court, practice court, match court is really excellent. And I think they’re building a really good relationship.

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“So I would love for Emma and Francis to keep going. I think they’re making a lot of progress, building in all the right areas. And as I said, a lot of it is also in the gym to build that physical resilience.

“They finished the year [ranked] 29, but actually, when you look at a few of the matches, certainly at the end of the year against [Barbora] Krejcikova and against [Jessica] Pegula, she had match points, Emma, in both those matches.

“If she comes through those and wins a couple more, she easily could finish in the top 20. For 2026, for Emma to finish in the top 20 is a realistic goal.”

On Raducanu’s first round Australian Open victory, Henman added: “She had a difficult first round, didn’t get off to the best of starts, but then once she got going she ran away with it and, in the end, had a good first round victory.”

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What has Emma Raducanu said about her second round Australian Open opponent?

Raducanu will take on world No 55 Anastasia Potapova in the second round of the Australian Open on Wednesday.

She shared her thoughts on what will be her first meeting with the 24-year-old Russian-born Austrian.

“I remember watching Anastasia all through juniors. I was the year below her,” Raducanu said.

“She was always the player to watch and beat through juniors. She’s been very high ranked, as well, in the pros. A big hitter.

I know it’s going to be a really tricky one. I need to just gather my strength and prepare as best as possible.”

READ NEXT: The meaning behind Naomi Osaka’s Australian Open outfit that stunned fans and pundits

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Naomi Osaka survived a major scare to win her opening round match at the 2026 Australian Open after she made a fashion statement with her entrance that left fans and pundits stunned.

The two-time Australian Open champion, who is seeded 16th, prevailed 6-3, 3-6, 6-4 against world No 65 Antonia Ruzic in two hours and 24 minutes on Rod Laver Arena.

Osaka looked in danger of suffering a sizeable upset when she was down a break at 3-4 in the deciding set, but she won the last three games to book her spot in the second round.

The Japanese superstar walked out onto Rod Laver Arena wearing a spectacular outfit, with a white veil, hat, umbrella, skirt and pants added to her turquoise and green Nike top.

What has Naomi Osaka said about her outfit?

In her on-court interview after beating Ruzic, Osaka explained that her outfit was jellyfish-inspired, and that she had designed it in collaboration with the fashion designer Robert Wun.

“Yeah, so actually, Nike let me design this one,” said the former world No 1.

“And it’s modelled after a jellyfish. Yeah, I’m just so grateful that I get to be able to do the things that I love and yeah, it’s really beautiful. And shout out Robert Wun for doing this for me.”

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The four-time major winner also revealed that the hat and umbrella were influenced by a moment a butterfly landed on her face at the 2021 Australian Open.

“There’s a butterfly on my hat and on the umbrella too. And it has to do with the Australian Open that I won in 2021, which I guess is a long time ago,” the 28-year-old added.

In an interview with Vogue, Osaka explained that her two-year-old daughter, Shai, had inspired the outfit with her reaction to a jellyfish in a book.

“There was an image of a jellyfish, and when I showed it to her, she got so excited,” Osaka said.

“It translated beautifully into the movement and fluidity of the sheer layers on the dress and the jacket.”

What did pundits say about Naomi Osaka’s outfit?

Former British tennis stars Laura Robson, Tim Henman and Anne Keothavong reacted to Osaka’s walk-on outfit on TNT Sports.

Laura Robson: “Wow, I mean I love it. This is a moment. It’s a vibe.”

Tim Henman: “I’m not qualified to comment. Wow… I am speechless.”

Anne Keothavong: “She’s making a statement, isn’t she? I’ve never seen anything quite like it. That is the ultimate walk-on.”

Watch the Australian Open on Eurosport, TNT Sports, HBO Max and discovery+

Who will Naomi Osaka play next at the Australian Open?

Osaka will play world No 41 Sorana Cirstea in the second round at Melbourne Park.

READ NEXT: Iga Swiatek’s tactics questioned by ex-stars after opening round Australian Open win

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Tennis great Jim Courier has said it would be an “absolute shock” if Jannik Sinner does not reach the final of the 2026 Australian Open after the Italian star’s opening round win.

In his first match of the 2026 season, Sinner was leading 6-2, 6-1 against world No 93 Hugo Gaston when the Frenchman retired due to injury.

The world No 2 broke Gaston twice in each set and saved the three break points he faced, which were in the opening game of the match.

Sinner, the two-time reigning Australian Open champion, is seeking his third title at Melbourne Park and fifth Grand Slam overall.

Jim Courier and Tim Henman discuss Jannik Sinner’s first round win

Courier — a four-time major champion and former world No 1 — reacted to Sinner’s victory on Rod Laver Arena in his role as a TNT Sports expert.

“It’s hard to see him really struggling given how consistent he is in the past few seasons,” said the American.

“He has automated all of his shots. He picks the right shots to play, he is unbelievable at defence, then he has an onslaught of shots to play offensively from everywhere you look.

“The serve has got significantly more consistent since the US Open since he changed his ball toss where he had a bad serving day and he’s been a completely different server since that, which gives him a leg up in his rallies.

“It would be an absolute shock if he doesn’t make the final.”

Tim Henman, a former world No 4, assessed that it is “scary” that Sinner has added more variety to his game.

“Jannik had all the answers,” the Brit said. “This is another example of how Sinner has bought that variation to his game using the drop shots and setting up the break point opportunity.

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“It’s just a way that Sinner is able to come in, the first proper match of the year… he did play an exhibition against [Carlos] Alcaraz, but I wouldn’t read anything into that. He did look so efficient, so impressive with his ball striking, his movement was good, but this is the real deal.

“This is him coming out, first match of the year as defending champion in a Grand Slam and he just hits the ground running.

“Even in that first game, down love-40. I mean, it’s not the ideal start, but then five points in a row. I think he hit three aces in that game, and he holds serve and he was just very much all business.

“Jannik’s got so many strings to his bow, but then he adds those extra elements and you’re thinking, ‘I couldn’t come up with a game plan in the first place. What do I do now that he can also serve body, that he can also chip and charge on occasion and throw in the drop shot?’

“I think Sinner’s been very open about how he wants to bring the different variations to his game, he knows where his bread and butter is — that’s the serve, the forehand and backhand, just blasting cross court, down the line.

“But now, when you see him playing with great touch, his technique looks more and more comfortable at the net, and it’s scary that he’s got those options to go to if he needs them.”

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What next for Jannik Sinner?

Sinner will face 88th-ranked Australian wildcard James Duckworth in the second round.

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The post Australian Open: Jannik Sinner sparks ominous comments from experts after first round win appeared first on Tennis365.

Carlos Alcaraz believes his coach Samuel Lopez “hasn’t received the recognition he deserves” as he expressed his disappointment over suggestions he should appoint a high-profile mentor.

Lopez is the head coach in Alcaraz’s player box at the Australian Open after he was promoted to the role on the back of the world No 1’s decision to part ways with Juan Carlos Ferrero after the 2025 season.

Former world No 1 Ferrero had been Alcaraz’s coach since the age of 15 and he steered the youngster to six Grand Slam titles, the top of the ATP Rankings and two ATP Player of the Year awards.

Ferrero, meanwhile, was twice voted the Coach of the Year and he shared the second of those awards with Lopez last year after earning a more prominent role in the Alcaraz coaching team at the end of 2024, although he had been part of the set-up for several years but worked mostly in the background.

Under Ferrero and Lopez’s guidance, the Spaniard won the French Open, US Open and finished runner-up at Wimbledon while he also lifted three ATP Masters 1000 trophies and finished as the year-end No1 1.

However, many believe Alcaraz will appoint a second coach in the next few months, but the six-time Grand Slam winner is happy with Lopez as he highlighted his fellow Spaniard’s strengths.

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“Every person, every coach, is different. Some bring one thing, others bring another,” the world No 1 stated. “He provides me with everything a coach can offer today. Samu hasn’t been a No 1 player or a professional tennis player in the top ranks, but he is a great technician.

“He hasn’t received the recognition he deserves.”

Lopez has been part of the Ferrero Academy (previously named the Equelite Academy) since its launch in 1990 and he coached former world No 10 and two-time US Open semi-finalist Pablo Carreno Busta from 2015 until 2024.

Alcaraz has been advised by several high-profile figures in the tennis industry to appoint another coach with the names of Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer and Andy Murray all cropping up.

The 23-year-old feels it is disrespectful to Lopez, adding: “Many coaches have been suggested to me, and it’s unfair because he is one of the best or the best coach out there now. What he brings you is much of what not many other coaches can provide.”

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The post Carlos Alcaraz hits out at ‘unfair’ suggestions about new coach appeared first on Tennis365.

Novak Djokovic “resolved a question” and “set a marker” with his dominant opening round 2026 Australian Open win over Pedro Martinez, according to a former British No 1.

The tennis legend delivered an imperious display to crush world No 71 Martinez 6-3, 6-2, 6-2 in two hours on Rod Laver Arena.

Djokovic was outstanding on serve as he landed 77% of his first serves, won 52 of his 57 total service points, fired down 14 aces and did not face a break point.

The 38-year-old Serbian, who is chasing an 11th Australian Open crown and 25th Grand Slam overall, also recorded a sublime ratio of 49 winners to 21 unforced errors.

The world No 4’s victory was a landmark 100th win at the Australian Open, which makes him the first man to reach 100 wins at three different Grand Slams (Djokovic has 102 wins at Wimbledon and 101 at Roland Garros).

He is now just two wins away from equalling Roger Federer’s record of 102 Australian Open men’s singles match wins.

What did Novak Djokovic say after his opening round win?

Following his dismantling of Martinez, Djokovic gave his reaction to his latest remarkable feat.

“I always give my best whenever I’m on the court,” he said. “History; making it is a great motivation, particularly in the last five-10 years of my career.

“Once I got myself in a position where I could eventually create history, obviously I was even more inspired to play the best tennis and that’s what I’ve done.

“I was very fortunate early on in my career to encounter some people who taught me and guided me to play the long shot, so to say, with my career. Not to burn out too quickly, take care of my body and my mind and try to have as long a career as possible.

“I’m blessed to be still playing at this level and another win tonight here is obviously a dream come true.”

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Djokovic also addressed how his body felt having entered the tournament with questions over his physical condition.

“It always feels good at the beginning of the tournament,” Djokovic said. “Let’s see how I progress. I cannot complain about tonight’s performance.

“I served really well, to kick-start the competition in the right way on the right note and send the right signal, not just to yourself but your opponents too.

“I have a couple of days without a match, recover my body, I’m using every hour I can to get my body in shape. Let’s hope for the best.”

What did analysts say about Novak Djokovic’s performance?

Former British tennis stars Tim Henman and Laura Robson discussed Djokovic’s victory on TNT Sports.

Tim Henman, a former world No 4:

“An absolutely clinical performance from Djokovic. All aspects of his game were firing on all cylinders.

“The serving was just absolutely spot on. At the back of the court, the movement was sharp.

“If you could have given Djokovic the opportunity to write the script for the first round match, that would have been it. He was so clean with everything in his game. There were no real hiccups, there were no dips in concentration.

“We talked about him trying to conserve energy for the latter stages of the tournament; to be out there for just two hours on the dot, straight sets victory, it was a perfect night’s work.

“I think if Djokovic is going to have a chance if he gets to the latter stages, matches like these are important, and tonight was ideal.”

Laura Robson, a former world No 27:

“It was 49 winners, just outstanding from Djokovic.

“If there was any question mark about the movement, I feel like that’s kind of resolved.

“Very fast around the court, but very small, quick steps as well, so that intensity was there from the start.

“It felt like it set a marker for the other players in the draw, because obviously we pencil in Alcaraz and Sinner towards the final, but there’s really Novak and then everyone else for that number three spot.”

Watch every match of the Australian Open live on TNT Sports and discovery+

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The post Novak Djokovic ‘resolved’ key ‘question mark’ with history-making Australian Open win appeared first on Tennis365.

Iga Swiatek started her campaign at the 2026 Australian Open with a hard-fought win against Yuan Yue, and she left tennis pundits surprised with her approach to the match.

The six-time Grand Slam winner overcame Yuan, a 130th-ranked Chinese qualifier, 7-6(5), 6-3 in just under two hours on Rod Laver Arena.

Swiatek landed 24 winners and also committed 35 unforced errors — 21 of which came during an opening set she narrowly won after she was twice a break down, with Yuan having led 5-3 and served for the set.

The world No 2 jumped to a 3-0 double break lead in the second set, but she still had to work hard to finish off her 27-year-old opponent.

The 24-year-old Pole is vying to win her maiden Australian Open title, which would see her complete the career Grand Slam.

What did Iga Swiatek say after her opening round win?

Following her victory against Yuan, Swiatek said: “I started a bit tense so I needed to get my legs moving and go after my shots.

“I just needed to react a bit quicker and not be pushed back and really go for it. It wasn’t perfect, but that’s why I am happy, because it’s not hard to win matches when everything is going well. Today it wasn’t and I managed to win so that’s good.”

What did tennis analysts say about Iga Swiatek’s performance?

Speaking on TNT Sports, former British No 1 Anne Keothavong questioned Swiatek’s highly aggressive approach early in the match.

“I didn’t think it was ever going to be an upset, but I was surprised with how Swiatek started and how she approached the match and wanted to hit the cover off every ball,” said the former world No 48.

“I feel with her, it doesn’t have to be so big and brash at the start of every match. We see her at the start of matches — the speed is so much faster in the first three or four games than the rest of the match. She attempts to bulldoze her opponents and outhit them.”

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Tim Henman, a former world No 4, also felt that Swiatek made life difficult for herself by committing a high number of unforced errors in the opening games.

“With so many players, it’s trying to find the balance between control and aggression,” said the six-time Grand Slam semi-finalist.

“When you are playing well you can take the shot on and you are feeling confident, but when you are not playing quite so well you have to find that balance and play with a bit more patience and give yourself more margin.

“It’s almost like she wants to send a message to the whole tournament about how well she is playing from the word go, but the reality is she only has to be better than one person today and that was Yuan.

“And because she made unforced errors to begin with, she makes life difficult and she did well to win that first set and win in straight sets, but giving herself a bit more margin would help her settle in a bit quicker.”

Who will Iga Swiatek play next?

Swiatek will face world No 44 Marie Bouzkova in the second round after the 27-year-old Czech downed 80th-ranked Renata Zarazua in the first round.

The former world No 1 won both of her previous matches against Bouzkova.

READ NEXT: How has Alex Eala’s Australian Open exit affected her ranking? And what did she say after defeat?

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Alex Eala fell to a three-set defeat to Alycia Parks in the opening round of the 2026 Australian Open, but she could still be set for a rise up the rankings.

On her Australian Open main draw debut, the 20-year-old rising Filipina star was beaten 6-0, 3-6, 2-6 by Parks, the world No 99.

Roared on by a vociferous Court 6 crowd full of her compatriots, Eala dominated the opening set, but she was outplayed by her 25-year-old American opponent thereafter.

What did Alex Eala say after her Australian Open exit?

Following the match, Eala spoke about the massive support she received during her time in Melbourne and admitted aspects of it had been “overwhelming.”

“It was so heart-warming,” Eala said.

“That’s one of the things that makes a loss like today a little bit harder — I know a lot of people were rooting for me.

“It’s a process to take it all in. I think this week, definitely there were elements that were a bit overwhelming, especially during my practices.

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“I didn’t expect that many people to be there. So it’s a learning process.

“I’m still young, so learning how to deal with all of this attention, but then at the same time being grateful.”

Eala added: “I guess this is one of the moments that I can reflect on what this means for Philippine tennis.

“I’m the only Filipina in the draw this year. I’m the only Filipina that’s ever been in the draw, I think. So there are positives to take away.”

How has Alex Eala’s Australian Open exit affected her ranking?

Eala started the Australian Open at a career-high ranking of world No 49, and she has climbed six places to a projected new best position of 43rd in the Live WTA Rankings.

Players earn 10 points for losing in the first round of a Grand Slam event, and Eala now sits on 1,154 points.

Eala’s position when the WTA Rankings update after the Australian Open will depend on the points gained by players ranked below her who are still competing at Melbourne Park.

READ NEXT: Former British No 1 makes bold 2026 prediction for rising star of the women’s game

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Former world No 2 Alex Corretja has made a bold prediction ahead of the first Grand Slam of 2026, as he stated his belief that the dominance of Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner at the top of men’s tennis will end this season.

Alcaraz and Sinner have shared the last eight Grand Slam titles between them and they have opened up a huge gap on the rest of men’s tennis by taking their game to the next level.

Yet Corretja does not believe their era of dominance will have longevity, as he told Tennis365 that the two giants of the men’s game will be knocked off their perch.

Speaking to Tennis365 before he joins the TNT Sports team at the Australian Open in Melbourne, former French Open finalist Corretja offered up his vision for this year that not many would agree with.

“I think this year we are going to have surprises,” Corretja told Tennis365.

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“I don’t think it’s going to be a walk in the park for Carlos and Jannik this year. I don’t think it is going to be easy for them to win two and two in the Slams. I think we could have a different winner this year.

“We have some guys like [Lorenzo] Musetti knocking on the door and I think he will have his chances. I’m waiting for Jack Draper to cone back as I think he has a game that will be very difficult for the opponents.

“Ben Shelton the same if he can get the momentum in Australia and [Alexander] Bublik is also looking a lot more mature, more stable.

“It makes it more interesting if we have more players. I would never say it could get boring, but more players challenging is good.

“It is good for the game that we have this Sinner-Alcaraz rivalry. In the past, we had Borg and McEnroe, then Edberg and Becker and Sampras and Agassi. Then it was Federer, Nadal and Djokovic.

“Now we have these two, but it is good for the spectators that they believe we have guys who can beat them. Best of five sets is always tricky because the longer the matches go, it would be great to have some other players that they are capable of beating them.”

That verdict is at odds with many observers of the game, with former Wimbledon champion Pat Cash convinced Alcaraz and Sinner will retain their place at the top of the men’s game this year.

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“It’s a two-horse race and I don’t necessarily think it’s a healthy thing,” Cash told Tennis365 in his role as an ambassador for the Bank of China Hong Kong Open.

“We want to see those great finals between them and the French Open final set the bench so high that everyone wants to see that. We all want another five-set thriller with points being won from all angles, but that’s not going to happen all the time.

“So it is very much a two-horse race and if one of them has a bad day and gets knocked out, the tournament officials are going to be worried. They are all hoping Alcaraz and Sinner get to the final and do what they did at the French Open last year all over again.

“They are holding their breath that these two guys get through and that’s not necessarily a healthy thing.

“Whether this is good for tennis or not, I don’t see it changing and I would expect them to win the Grand Slams again this year.”

Watch every match of the Australian Open live on TNT Sports and discovery+ from 18 Jan

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Novak Djokovic is back in Melbourne to compete in the Australian Open for a remarkable 21st time, but former world No 7 Barbara Schett has suggested the chances of the Serbian achieving his dream of winning a 25th Grand Slam title may be over.

At the age of 38, Djokovic is striving to win an 11th Australian Open title, but he has not played a competitive match since early November and heads into a new year with fresh question marks over how long he will continue to perform at the highest level.

Djokovic has hinted he would like to finish his career playing for Serbia at the 2028 Olympics, but that feels like a long shot for a player who admits he is struggling to compete against the dominant duo of Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner at the top of the men’s game.

And when Schett sums up why Djokovic continues to compete at an age when most players have given up, she struggles to come up with credible answers.

“He just loves it so much,” Schett told Tennis365. “If he wants to keep going, I love it because it gives us something to talk about.

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“What he achieved last year, reaching the semi-final at every Grand Slam is unbelievable at his age.

“I’m just worried that he has not played much after pulling out of Adelaide, how he is going to perform now.

“He beat Alcaraz here last year and then had to pull out against Zverev and that’s the problem. The body will always let him down.

“To win a Grand Slam title? Never say no with someone who has won 24 times, but the chances are not that good.

“He says he wants to play the Olympics again, that’s how long he wants to play. Eventually, he will have to retire. They will have to carry him off the court.

“I don’t know what he is thinking. It’s incredible how long his career has been and he still has the drive and passion to practice and go through the off-season. It’s incredible.

“I’m not expecting him to reach another semi-finals and if he does, I will take my hat off to him. Everything he does not is just the icing on the cake.”

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Former world No 2 Alex Corretja also spoke to Tennis365 about Djokovic’s hopes, as he offered a more upbeat verdict for the Serbian.

“You never know what is going to happen in tennis and in life in general,” Corretja told Tennis365.

“Let’s say one of them loses in the quarter-finals and he beats one of them in the semis. Then you are in the final with another player and if it is [Alexander] Zverev, that is also a tough task.

“It is more about how he is feeling when he gets into the main matches of the quarter-finals and the semis like last year at Wimbledon when, in my opinion, he was toast before he played Sinner.

“Or is it like the US Open when it looked like he was okay, but they he couldn’t manage to do well against Carlitos.

“Not playing the week before is difficult because all the matches come at you and you don’t know how the body will react. Physically and mentally, sometimes it is exhausting, so we will see.

“Hopefully he can be there. It would be great to have Novak there again playing for even more history. That would be awesome for tennis.”

Watch every match of the Australian Open live on TNT Sports and discovery+ from 18 Jan

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The post Novak Djokovic motivation question asked by former top 10 star at Australian Open appeared first on Tennis365.

Jannik Sinner fans didn’t hold back in their responses to Roger Federer after the Swiss legend suggested he may have had a formula to beat their hero, but the reaction was entirely misguided.

Federer was asked about Sinner and his great rival Carlos Alcaraz as he faced the media at the Australian Open and he suggested he saw a way to challenge the dominance of the Italian as he watched him struggle against Grigor Dimitrov at Wimbledon last July.

Dimitrov was on the brink of beating Sinner until he was struck down by injury, with Federer watching on from the Royal Box and clearly visualising himself taking on the reigning Australian Open champion.

“At Wimbledon, when Grigor was playing against Jannik and I was sitting there, that made it easy to think how it could’ve been because Grigor plays very similar to how I played,” said Federer.

“I think it was one of the first times I thought how would it have been to play Jannik.

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“I put myself more in Carlos’s mindset and skin when I watch him. Now with Sinner at one time, I thought ‘Okay, now I understand how I would probably play against Jannik.’”

Federer’s comments were merely those of a former player reflecting on how his tactics would evolve if he was playing Sinner, but fans of the Italian were quick to hit back at what they saw as a suggestion from the 20-time Grand Slam-winning legend that there is blueprint to beat the player who is currently ranked at No 2 on the ATP list.

The backlash on social media towards Federer brought back memories of how Novak Djokovic fans used to react when they felt their player was being disrespected, but that was never Federer’s intention.

He was merely suggesting Dimitrov had found a way to successfully nullify the threat of Sinner on a grass court at Wimbledon and as Federer played a very similar style of game to the Bulgarian, it was natural for him to reach the conclusion he came to.

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Sinner didn’t seem to be troubled by Federer’s comments, as he was asked about what had been said when he faced the media in Melbourne.

“I would have loved to face him, I consider him the most magical tennis player of all time. Unfortunately, I was late,” said Sinner.

“That day at Wimbledon, Grigor played well and knew how to see my weaknesses, changing the pace continuously. In the off-season, I have worked hard to be a more unpredictable player and to respond to that type of game.”

Sinner fans have tended to be a little more sensitive to criticism of their hero since he came under fire after two positive doping tests at Indian Wells in March 2024.

He came under fire for the way his case was handled and the perception in Italy was that Sinner was not given fair media coverage by a media pack keen to find him guilty.

Sinner served a three-month suspension from tennis last year after agreeing a deal to ensure he avoided the threat of a longer ban.

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