Jannik Sinner’s intensity on the practice court has once again caught the attention of those closest to him, with Italian teammate Luciano Darderi offering a vivid insight into the world No. 2’s off-season work ethic.
The two Italians have been training together at the Davide Giusti Academy in Dubai, a popular pre-season base for elite players, as Sinner prepares for the first Grand Slam of 2026.
Darderi: “A Different Kind of Tennis”
Darderi did not hold back when describing the experience of practising with the four-time Grand Slam champion.
“Jannik is a man of few words and much substance. There is only training and hard work,” he said.
“It’s completely different — a different kind of tennis. The weight of the ball and the consistency of striking make the difference. I felt like I was inside a rocket that had left Earth and landed on Mars. Yes, Jannik is a Martian.”
According to Darderi, the sessions were both demanding and enlightening, helping him identify areas for improvement in his own game.
Sinner’s 2025 Momentum
Sinner closed out 2025 in outstanding fashion, lifting titles in Vienna, Paris, and most notably the Nitto ATP Finals in Turin, where he defeated world No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz to claim back-to-back championships.
Despite suffering a heavy loss to Alcaraz at the US Open earlier in the year, the Italian enters the Australian Open as the favourite, aiming for a third consecutive Melbourne title.
Fine-Tuning for Melbourne
According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, Sinner has been using the off-season to refine his slice backhand, looking to add more variety to an already dominant game.
Following his ATP Finals victory over Alcaraz, Sinner reflected on his progress despite finishing the year ranked one spot lower than in 2024.
“Mostly I feel I am a better player than last year, and that’s the most important thing,” he said.
“If you keep working and trying to be a better player, the results are going to come. This year it was like this — many wins and not many losses.”
Darderi’s Own Ambitions
Training alongside Sinner has also fuelled Darderi’s motivation. After breaking into the top 30 in 2025 and reaching a career-high ranking of world No. 26, his sights are now set on the top 20.
“It’s not an obsession, but it gives me a clear direction,” Darderi explained.
“If I have to run a marathon every day or climb a mountain to be among the best, I’ll do it. It’s my nature.”
Darderi won three ATP titles in 2025 — Marrakech, Bastad, and Umag — joining an elite group of players to achieve that feat during the season.
Looking Ahead
As Sinner heads to Melbourne chasing history and closing the gap on Alcaraz’s Grand Slam tally, one thing is clear from those training alongside him: his standards remain otherworldly.
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