Jannik Sinner said Maria Sharapova had a ‘special type of mentality few players have’ and that spending time with champions ‘makes you improve as a player and person’.
The 19-year-old is coached by Riccardo Piatti – who also coached Sharapova from 2019 until her retirement in 2020. Sinner spent time with the five-time Grand Slam champion at Piatti’s academy.
“I feel lucky to have met her (Sharapova) personally. She really impressed me with her professionalism. Her tennis was incredible, which is evident in what she achieved,” the Italian said in an interview with Marca.
“She had a different and special type of mentality that few players have. I tried to understand how you can have this character. It’s a bit like what happened to me with Nadal in Adelaide.
“They don’t just have one thing that makes them unique – it’s a collection of things. Spending time with them makes you improve, not just as a tennis player but as a person.”
