Wimbledon, Djokovic: "Happy to have influenced Sinner"

The Serbian: "We are very similar. I understood that he was special when I met him, he was 13 years old..."

"Did I influence Sinner? I'm happy." Novak Djokovic scores his 100th career victory at Wimbledon, qualifying for the round of 16, and after winning the match against his compatriot Miomir Kecmanovic, he answers questions in a press conference about the similarities between his game and that of Jannik Sinner. The Italian said he was inspired by Djokovic, a point of reference for top players too.

"Are there similarities? Yes, considering the style of play that we both have. We both try to be aggressive and hit the ball early, we try to dominate the rallies from the baseline," says the Serbian champion.

"I remember him as a kid, 13 or 14, when I met him and had some rallies with him. He was tall and thin, like I was when I was very young. He hit the ball hard, he had great timing and his movement was very fast. Yes, there are a lot of elements in common, we also use the same racket, but obviously Jannik is unique in his own way," he adds. "He has done an excellent job in the last few years and has grown a lot. Everyone talks about his power and the way he hits. He has reduced the unforced errors compared to the beginning of his career, now he is absolutely precise and always keeps his opponent under pressure. I am happy that I have managed to influence him positively in a certain sense," he explains.

The two champions have a common 'root'. "Sinner worked for several years with Riccardo Piatti, who was also my coach. I have a great relationship with him. That's how I met Jannik. Riccardo asked me for advice and guidance. We talked a lot and I was happy to share. Jannik has had an incredible journey, he is a dominant force in men's tennis", he concludes.