Mumbai: Since the beginning of the previous year, Jannik Sinner has participated in 64 matches on hard courts, suffering defeat only three times. Notably, two of these losses were against Carlos Alcaraz.

The last player to overcome the Italian on hard courts in Grand Slam events was Alexander Zverev, a streak that spans 21 matches and approximately one and a half years. In their recent encounter during the Australian Open final on Sunday, Zverev appeared unable to counter the relentless momentum of Sinner, who has now triumphed in three hard-court Majors.

These statistics not only underscore the world No. 1’s remarkable effectiveness on the most prominent surfaces in the sport but also illustrate his swift development.

Given his current form, Sinner's dominance on hard courts seems formidable. However, he must enhance his performance on other surfaces.

This situation mirrors that of Aryna Sabalenka, the world No. 1 in women's tennis, who has secured all three of her Grand Slam titles on hard courts. In contrast, Sinner's principal competitor, the four-time Grand Slam champion Alcaraz, has achieved victories at the French Open, Wimbledon, and the US Open. Carlos Alcaraz exhibits a more versatile all-court game that adapts well to the diverse challenges presented by hard, clay, and grass surfaces, making him a more well-rounded player, even if Sinner has shown greater consistency. This is the level of proficiency Sinner aspires to attain.

“Certainly, it is something I contemplate,” Sinner remarked following his victory in Melbourne. “To be a complete player, one must excel not only on one surface but also on the others.”

“On hard courts, I feel more at ease, as you can observe. However, I view this as a positive aspect,” he continued. “I appreciate the challenges that come with identifying areas for improvement. I hope to demonstrate this when the season commences.”

Before considering the "when," it is essential to acknowledge the potential influence of an "if." The arrival of the clay season for Sinner is likely contingent upon the outcome of his doping case hearing at the Court of Arbitration for Sport scheduled for April. Setting aside this uncertainty, there is no evident reason why Sinner, given his skill set and mental approach, should not be able to replicate his hard-court achievements on clay and grass surfaces.

To begin with, while his hard-court statistics are notably impressive (with 17 of his 19 ATP titles secured on this surface), his performances on clay and grass are commendable as well. He boasts a win percentage of 79.9 on hard courts, alongside 71.1 on clay and 70 on grass. However, the majority of his significant titles have been won on hard courts, which makes some of his losses—such as those to Emil Ruusuvuori (2023 ATP ‘s-Hertogenbosch, grass) and Stefanos Tsitsipas (2024 Monte Carlo, clay)—particularly noteworthy on the other surfaces.

In the previous season, after earlier exits in the fourth and second rounds, the Italian advanced to the semi-finals of the French Open, ultimately succumbing to the eventual champion, Alcaraz, in a five-set match. At Wimbledon, he has reached the quarter-finals twice (2022, and 2024) and the semi-finals once (2023), facing Novak Djokovic on two occasions and losing to Daniil Medvedev last year.

“I believe last year was not a bad season on clay and grass,” Sinner remarked. “I can do better, yes... We are surely aiming to get into this rhythm and game style. Because it is different, especially on grass, the movement.”

This movement, one of Sinner’s greatest assets, is exceptionally fluid on hard courts. However, on natural clay, where the ball bounces higher and moves more slowly, it “may be a little bit more difficult,” as noted by Simone Vagnozzi, one of his coaches, in Melbourne. Transitioning to grass, a surface Sinner has described as the most unfamiliar to him due to a lack of junior experience, necessitates further adjustments in his footwork and movement.

A clear indication of Sinner's improving ability to adapt to various surfaces, particularly grass, was evident last year when he secured victory at the ATP Halle Open before Wimbledon. According to Vagnozzi, Sinner was “not 100 per cent” on the day he faced Medvedev and subsequently lost.

“I’m still young. I still have time to adjust,” Sinner remarked.

This youthful perspective is a significant advantage. Despite his numerous accomplishments at such a young age, it is important to remember that Sinner is only 23 years old. He has only recently emerged as a formidable competitor in Grand Slam tournaments. Djokovic, whose playing style Sinner is often compared to, clinched his first Grand Slam title at the Australian Open in 2008. It took Djokovic three years to win at Wimbledon and eight years to complete his collection with a title at the French Open.

For the 24-time Grand Slam champion, it was more a matter of when he would win again rather than if. One cannot help but feel similar anticipation regarding Sinner's future.

“I’m going to put a lot of energy into that, trying to find the right ways and hopefully go far also in the other Slams,” he stated.

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