Former world no.1 backs Jannik Sinner to win more Grand Slams

Former women’s world no.1 Ana Ivanovic backed Jannik Sinner to win more Grand Slams after the Italian claimed his first major by beating Daniil Medvedev at the 2024 Australian Open final.

At Melbourne Park, Sinner made history as the first Italian player to clinch the tournament title — and the third to win a Grand Slam — staging an epic comeback against Medvedev in the final.

He rallied from two sets down to secure victory, a feat accomplished in a title match at the Australian Open only once before by Rafael Nadal. Earlier in the event, the Italian defeated fifth seed Andrey Rublev and halted Novak Djokovic’s 33-match winning streak in the semi-finals.

The 22-year-old's triumph was celebrated by Ivanovic, who won the 2008 French Open when she was two years younger than Sinner.

Ivanovic, a former star of women’s tennis, amassed 15 Tour-level titles and held the world No. 1 ranking for 12 weeks. She also reached the finals of the 2007 French Open and the 2008 Australian Open.

Reflecting on Sinner's achievement, Ivanovic stated that the mental strength Sinner showed was tremendous.

"It was incredible. The way he played throughout the tournament showed real mental strength and endurance. Watching him strike the ball with such precision was a delight,” she told Ubitennis.

Guiding Sinner on the Tour was experienced coach Darren Cahill, who previously coached Ivanovic as part of the Adidas Player Development Program.

Cahill has mentored some of tennis's biggest names, including Andy Murray, Lleyton Hewitt, and Simona Halep.

"I always enjoyed working with Darren because of his extensive knowledge of tennis," Ivanovic explained. "He consistently offered the best advice during pressure moments, calming me down and guiding me in the right direction. I was thrilled to see him in Jannik's corner."

In addition to Cahill, Sinner's team includes co-coach Simone Vagnozzi, physio Giacomo Naldi, and fitness trainer Umberto Ferrara.

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