Former world No 10 Arnaud Clement has weighed in on the criticism that Jannik Sinner’s tennis can be “boring” to watch after the Italian’s 2025 Australian Open title run.
Clement, an Australian Open finalist in 2001, labelled Sinner’s game “fabulous” as he made a comparison to Novak Djokovic.
Sinner delivered a clinical display to convincingly defeat world No 2 Alexander Zverev in straight sets in the final of the 2025 Australian Open.
The world No 1 dropped only two sets during a dominant campaign as he defended his title in Melbourne and secured his third Grand Slam trophy from as many finals.
The 23-year-old’s outstandingly efficient and complete game has been lauded by many, while some have argued his tennis is not the most watchable on the back of his latest triumph.
Sinner has won nine titles since the start of the 2024 season and he has held the ATP world No 1 ranking since June last year.
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Clement recognised the “danger” of Sinner’s style being considered boring, but went on to express the enjoyment he gets from watching the Italian.
“Yes, it’s a danger,” the Frenchman told Eurosport. “We could say that for a long time about Novak Djokovic and some still say it: it may be boring, but practised at that level… I may have a different way of looking at it from the general public, but I find it fabulous.
“Afterwards, if tomorrow, in the final of a Grand Slam on hard court, you have Jannik Sinner against Jannik Sinner… but that’s not the case here. There is a story to tell. When there is Alcaraz, there will be another one.
“There is always a curiosity. In this Australian Open final, the curiosity was more Zverev, because you knew what was going to happen on Sinner’s side.
“I can understand this judgment, but we are taking a picture now, and it could be different in six months. Is Sinner going to be suspended? Is Alcaraz going to get injured?
“We had Medvedev, who is funny. But is his game? No. But he is a character. You show me Zverev-Medvedev finals, you watch one or two, and then you know what is going to happen. There is only the winner who can change.”
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