Jannik Sinner has broken his silence on Roger Federer’s controversial comments that ATP favoured him and Carlos Alcaraz.
According to The Tennis Gazette, the Swiss maestro, during a live episode of the Served with Andy Roddick podcast in San Francisco after the Laver Cup, claimed that tournaments have slowed down the surfaces to increase the possibility of Sinner and Alcaraz finals.
Federer said, “I understand the safety net that the tournament directors see in making the surface slower. It’s for the weaker player, he has to hit extra amazing shots to beat Sinner, whereas if it’s quick, he can only maybe blast a few and, at the right time… and he gets past. So that’s what the tournament directors are like: ‘I kind of like Sinner-Alcaraz in the finals, you know? It kind of works for the game’.”
The comments sparked a debate, and the Italian tennis professional was also asked about the 20-time Grand Slam winner’s comments during the China Open pre-tournament press conference.
The world No. 2 said that hard courts are usually the same with a couple of small changes and called Indian Wells a “bit different” because balls bounce very high and react differently with the court.
“But yeah, if not, we have more or less similar game situations on the court, yes. This is how it is already since a long time, like this. I don’t know if there is going to be a change or not. I’m just a player who tries to adapt myself in the best possible way. I feel like I’m doing a good job in this. But let’s see what the future can give us in every tournament,” he added.
Alcaraz and Sinner played three Grand Slam finals this year, including the French Open, Wimbledon and US Open. The only major tournament final they did not meet was the Australian Open, which the 24-year-old won after beating Alexander Zverev.
