Jimmy Connors thinks Jannik Sinner and Aryna Sabalenka have been so nice this yr that it’s protected to state that they’ll begin successful some matches within the locker room as a result of there’s now “a worry issue” in enjoying in opposition to them.
At first of the season, the 23-year-old Italian turned a Grand Slam champion on the Australian Open after impressively turning into the primary participant to beat Novak Djokovic at Melbourne Park since 2018 and likewise recovering from a two-set deficit within the closing in opposition to Daniil Medvedev.
After making a splash early within the yr, Sinner additionally reached the world No. 1 rating for the primary time in June – added 5 extra titles to his assortment – together with his second Main win at this previous US Open. Total, he holds a powerful 55-5 document in 2024.
On the opposite facet, Sabalenka efficiently defended her Australian Open title with out a dropped set at Melbourne Park. And identical to the Italian, she additionally went all the best way at Flushing Meadows this yr and she or he now has three Slams in her assortment. Additionally, it needs to be famous that the Belarusian is at the moment on a 12-match successful streak, having gained the WTA 1000 event in Cincinnati earlier than the US Open.
“Jannik Sinner and Sabalenka now have a worry issue, different gamers worry them. Meaning they’ll begin successful matches earlier than they even step on the courtroom. Confidence is: ‘I’ll play in opposition to you for 5 hours if vital, it doesn’t matter what it takes, you must discover a approach to beat me as a result of I cannot beat myself’. To me, that’s what nice gamers work for. They’ve the sport, the mentality and the whole lot it takes to win matches, however they’ve that little one thing additional that makes their opponent know they need to kill them to beat them. That’s one thing particular and I feel each Sinner and Sabalenka have that now. It’s actually particular,” the previous eight-time Slam winner stated on the Benefit Connors podcast.
Connors: Sabalenka was on a mission…
Final yr, the Belarusian tennis star was additionally near successful each the Australian Open and US Open – however fell simply brief after Coco Gauff got here again from a set down within the closing at Flushing Meadows. Within the second, the world No. 2 cried and was crushed over lacking out on successful a Main in such a means.
However what she did not handle to do final season, she was in a position to accomplish this yr as that is the primary season the place the 26-year-old has managed to win two Grand Slam titles in a single yr. And contemplating that Sabalenka has had 4 Main finals for the reason that begin of 2023 in opposition to Iga Swiatek’s two Slam finals on the French Open, Connors thinks there isn’t any doubt in terms of who has been extra constant on the most important stage during the last two years.
“Final yr, she misplaced that US Open closing to Coco Gauff after which she went to Australia decided and simply gained her second Australian Open. She in all probability needed to avenge the US Open once more final yr and form of blew the courtroom away once more. So, she’s extra constant than Iga. Additionally, Aryna is simply good, even when she does not win the match. She’s humorous, she does not take herself too severely, she will be able to snigger at herself. It looks like now she’s OK when one thing goes in opposition to her, she’s in a position to bounce again and make up for it,” the American former world No. 1 defined.
Connors additionally had a warning for Novak Djokovic
Whereas Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz have achieved probably the most this yr, Djokovic completed a season with out a Slam title for the primary time since 2017. And his US Open run was notably disappointing after he suffered a shock third-round loss to Alexei Popyrin.
Whereas the American tennis legend acknowledged on his podcast that the 37-year-old Serb was coming off an enormous Paris Olympics triumph, he additionally famous that the competitors – on this case Popyrin – sensed that he was weak.
“He went from the grass to the clay with all of the hype and strain of successful the Olympic gold. Then to come back again on onerous courts, he hasn’t ready by enjoying any matches. These younger children, as soon as they get a really feel that you just’ve misplaced that aura round you, that you just’re unbeatable and that they’ve an opportunity, a whole lot of these children, they see that now. And that’s what occurred,” the American tennis legend stated.
Nonetheless, Connors additionally highlighted that Djokovic cannot be written off regardless of his early US Open exit and never having a Slam yr he would have preferred.
