Boris Becker thinks Jannik Sinner was “really upset” by his loss to Novak Djokovic at the Australian Open and assessed that it has inspired the Italian’s dominant run of form.
Sinner was beaten by 24-time Grand Slam champion Djokovic in a thrilling five-set semi-final at the Australian Open in January — a result that ended his bid for a third straight title in Melbourne.
It was Sinner’s first loss before the final of a Grand Slam since Wimbledon in 2024, while it ended his five-match winning streak against Djokovic.
The four-time major winner then suffered a shock three-set defeat to Jakub Mensik in the quarter-finals at the ATP 500 event in Doha in February.
After that loss, Sinner won 17 consecutive matches — dropping just one set in the process — as he secured Masters 1000 titles in Indian Wells, Miami and Monte Carlo.
The 24-year-old’s victory in Monte Carlo saw him overtake Carlos Alcaraz to return to world No 1, and he is now set to compete at the Madrid Open.
Victory in Madrid would see Sinner become the first player in history to win the first four ATP Masters 1000 tournaments in a season.
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In an interview with Italian newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport, Becker lauded the level Sinner has produced during his incredible run.
“I’d say the current Sinner is the best we’ve seen so far,” said the six-time Slam champion.
“Winning the ‘Sunshine Double’ is something extraordinary; for me, in terms of difficulty, it’s on par with winning a Grand Slam: West Coast, East Coast, time change, four weeks of commitment.
“And then going to Monte Carlo and winning the tournament while losing just one set… he’s done something incredible, a feat whose sporting, physical, and mental value seems inestimable to me.
“Jannik is a humble guy; he’s not one to go around talking about how good and strong he is, but if you sit down and analyse his performance over the past few weeks, it’s incredible.”
Asked if he expected Sinner to find this form, Becker said: “I think Jannik was really upset about losing to Djokovic in the fifth set in Melbourne; he wasn’t expecting it.
“The loss to Mensik in Doha was definitely easier to digest. He went to Indian Wells, where he’d never won, with a fist in his pocket, desperate to prove that what happened in Melbourne was an exception.”
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