Jannik Sinner addresses Novak Djokovic comparisons after China Open win

World No. 1 Jannik Sinner has won 21 titles in his career, 19 of which have come on hard courts. On Wednesday, the Italian captured the China Open, his 14th hard-court title since the start of 2023.

Sinner's dominance on the surface has drawn comparisons with the legendary Novak Djokovic, who boasts an 84 percent win percentage on hard courts through his 21-year career, including 14 major titles — a record 10 Australian Open wins and four U.S. Open triumphs.

Jannik Sinner addresses Novak Djokovic comparisons

After he defeated American teenager Learner Tien in straight sets to win his second straight Beijing title on Wednesday, Sinner openly addressed analysts who've called him the second coming of Djokovic.

"I always say comparing me to Novak, he's in a different league with everything he has achieved in his career," Sinner said, via The Tennis Letter. "I'm just a normal 24-year-old who tries to play the best tennis possible. I know I've won some great titles in my young career, but let's see how long I can hold it. What Novak, Rafa [Nadal] and Roger [Federer] did for 15-plus years was amazing. Novak is still here and showing some incredible tennis. So let's see."

The comparisons are not unwarranted. Earlier this year, Sinner became the first player since Djokovic to reach the finals of all four majors. The Italian lost to his famed rival Carlos Alcaraz in two of the four finals, at the French Open and the U.S. Open, but triumphed at the Australian Open and Wimbledon, the latter being his career-first title on grass. 

Jannik Sinner trying to reclaim No. 1 ranking

Sinner's playing style closely resembles Djokovic's as well. Much like the Serbian, Sinner is known for his aggressive baseline shots, early ball taking and prioritizing defense over offense. Furthermore, the Italian relies on his often-monotonous groundstrokes rather than approaching the net, as he avoids taking too many risks.

With the China Open victory, Sinner found himself less than 2,000 points shy of Alcaraz in the live ATP rankings, as he continues his push to end a season as World No. 1 for two consecutive years. 

Sinner can close the gap within 1,000 points by capturing his second consecutive Shanghai ATP-1000 Masters title, which gets underway this week. With Alcaraz withdrawing from the event with an ankle injury, Sinner has a golden opportunity to inch closer to the Spaniard.