Jannik Sinner’s rise to the top of the ATP Rankings has been bolstered by a notable improvement in his serving game, a fact that has garnered attention from fellow players. While Sinner is celebrated for his powerful groundstrokes and strong baseline play, his serve has become a critical asset.
The Italian star has excelled in key service statistics, according to Infosys ATP Stats, enabling him to effectively utilize the rest of his playing style on the ATP Tour. “There are still signs of sometimes being inconsistent with that shot. It has been more consistent in the last three, four months, that’s for sure,” Sinner commented. “It has become a weapon that can help me avoid danger, but I still believe there’s a lot of work to do.”
As he entered the US Open, Sinner led the Tour in service games won at 91.3%, was second in second-serve points won at 57.5%, and had a break points saved rate of 72.9%. He also ranked second in first-serve points won, just behind Grigor Dimitrov at 79.5%. Sinner has made adjustments to his service technique, including changes to the ball toss and focusing on a more mental approach. “We changed a couple of things with the toss of the ball, and also my mental side,” he explained.
John Isner, one of the finest servers in tennis history, has praised Sinner’s improvements. Reflecting on their last match two years ago at Wimbledon, Isner noted, “A lot of people have noticed, myself included, that Sinner has, really since working with Darren Cahill, changed his service motion from platform to pinpoint. His serve resembles mine, and that’s considered a superior way to serve.”
While Isner’s career saw him winning 91.8% of his service games, he emphasized Sinner’s serving style, which focuses on placement rather than sheer power. “It’s not that he’s hitting a million aces like I did, but better placement allows him to dictate play quicker,” Isner remarked.
Reilly Opelka, who partnered with Sinner to win a doubles title in Atlanta, also noted Sinner’s considerable growth since his injury layoff. “Jannik’s improved a tonne since I’ve been on Tour,” Opelka stated. He acknowledged that Sinner’s serving precision has greatly enhanced his game.
Although Sinner’s serving has been slightly less dominant at the US Open, winning 85% of his service games, his performance is still impressive compared to earlier in his career when he struggled to reach above 83% in any season. After losing serve six times in the tournament, three of those were in his opening match. In the subsequent matches, he lost only three service games, resulting in a 89.5% success rate when excluding that early setback.
Sinner’s second-round opponent, Alex Michelsen, expressed admiration for Sinner’s serving ability, highlighting how Sinner consistently delivers powerful, clutch serves. “The guy is hitting 128 mph flat wide aces on big points, and that helps a lot,” Michelsen stated.