Feels Like Rockets Are Thrown At You

“Today I found that he was playing great offensive and also great defensively,” Ruud said. “I Felt like he was moving better than sometimes you might expect from him because he’s a quite tall guy. He’s strong because he plays long matches and has no problem. When you look at him, he doesn’t necessarily look like a body builder, you know? I think he also knows himself.

“He’s really fast on the court. He can get to many balls. I felt like [at] some points I was throwing him from side to side, he was defending and sliding around really well. I Was really impressed with everything from his game.”

Ruud last faced Sinner at Vienna in 2021. He lost in straight sets by a similar scoreline (7-5, 6-1) but he was quick to admit that the Sinner he faced on Saturday was a different player by leaps and bounds. “Everything in his game improved,” he said. “I mean, this year it seems like he stepped up with every aspect, even from last year, end of last year. It’s really fun to watch. It’s difficult to play.”

A Lesson in Commitment

It’s frustrating to face, but inspiring to watch, says Ruud.

“I admire Jannik a lot as a player. As a person, he’s very serious about what he does. It’s inspiring. Even though he’s younger than me, I have a lot to learn from him.”

What is one of the more valuable lessons to learn from Sinner? Ruud says it is the Italian’s bold and assertive game style, which has been fueled by the confidence that he has gained from a dynamic season, featuring two major titles and 70 wins. “He goes for his shots fully committed,” Ruud said. “Something I definitely can learn, as well. Sometimes I’m maybe hesitating a bit. Especially on this surface, I don’t necessarily dare to go as aggressive as what he does.

“There’s a lot of things I can learn from him and also from today’s loss.”

How Does Sinner Compare to Novak Djokovic? Jannik Hits A Faster Ball

When asked to compare Sinner to Novak Djokovic, Ruud gave some interesting insight. First off he said the pair are not very similar at all.

“I don’t think so, in my opinion, because they play different tennis,” he said. “I mean, I think on TV it looks probably similar, the way they play. But Jannik hits a faster ball than Novak. He doesn’t let you breathe. With Novak you can play rallies. Not going to say [it’s] easier to play Novak because he’s the best in the history. At least with Novak you can play more rallies and not be terrified of Novak ripping, like, a bomb down the line…