Sinner hones serve to chase Alcaraz in Doha
Jannik Sinner arrives in Doha with his serve under the microscope, echoing Carlos Alcaraz’s offseason refinements as the Italian eyes a rankings breakthrough at the Qatar ExxonMobil Open. Fresh from an Australian Open semifinal, he balances gym gains with match intensity on hard courts primed for aggressive play.
In the warm Doha breeze, where hard courts hum with the promise of quick points, Jannik Sinner steps into the Qatar ExxonMobil Open with his serve as the season’s early obsession. The World No. 2 has mirrored the tweaks Carlos Alcaraz applied to his own delivery, turning offseason hours into a weapon that could narrow a 2,750-point gap in the PIF ATP Live Rankings. As second seed behind the Spaniard, Sinner treats this ATP 500 debut as a tactical reset, blending precision placement with the raw power built in Dubai’s pre-season block.
His recent semifinal run at the Australian Open, where he fired 75 percent of first serves and captured 80 percent of those points before falling to Novak Djokovic, exposed both strengths and edges to sharpen. Now, with no points to defend until Rome in May, Doha offers a clear runway to test those adjustments against a field hungry for upsets. The Italian opens against Tomas Machac, holding a 2-0 head-to-head edge, but the real focus lies in translating practice reps into dominance under the Qatari sun.
“Honestly at the moment [we are working] on the usual stuff. Trying to get a very solid serve at the moment, which we work a lot on,” Sinner said during his pre-tournament press conference in Doha. “Also a lot in the gym, the gym sessions are very important. I try to make an extra step forward in that scenario and that’s it.”
Serve precision fuels baseline rallies
Sinner’s offseason emphasized cleaner lines on first deliveries, with a higher toss generating heavier topspin to pull returners wide and open the court for inside-out forehands. On Doha’s grippy hard courts, which reward kick over flat pace, he’s layering in slice on seconds to disrupt rhythm, setting up one–two patterns that shorten points against aggressive returners. This isn’t mere mechanics; it’s a mental anchor, building confidence that ripples into longer exchanges where his flat backhand redirects force errors.
The fortnight since Melbourne has extended Dubai’s foundations, maintaining fitness while fine-tuning for the tournament’s moderate bounce. Gym sessions target explosive power for those wide serves that stretch opponents, ensuring second balls climb just enough to neutralize deep returns. As practice courts echo with the thud of adjusted tosses, Sinner calibrates intensity, knowing a solid delivery cascades into tactical freedom on these medium-speed surfaces.
Doha debut tests practice-to-match flow
Making his bow at this level in Doha, Sinner draws quiet energy from junior triumphs in the city, now amplified by pro stakes where every ace echoes louder. Against Machac‘s crosscourt steadiness, expect varied locations—body serves to jam the forehand, followed by down-the-line backhands off the return to exploit any hesitation. The Czech’s improving hard-court game adds bite, but Sinner’s composure, forged through past injuries, positions him to dictate tempo with aggressive net rushes on short balls.
Practice sessions here become the pulse-check, bridging drills to matches where intensity must match the crowd’s rising murmur. If his inside-in forehands land crisp off the serve, he’ll push forward, turning defensive lobs into volley winners under the evening lights. This feedback loop, vital after the Australian Open‘s grind, guides adjustments like quicker 1–2 combos to counter Doha’s true pace.
“The season has started. A lot of the work we have done was in the offseason,” Sinner said. “Now of course we try to keep working, but also to maintain the level of fitness, too. I think everything is going quite well. Of course you need to play some matches, trying to have the best feedback.”
The air thickens with stakes as Sinner eyes a deep run, each point chipping at Alcaraz‘s lead while validating offseason sweat. No immediate defenses free him to attack the draw, refining crosscourt winners that pin foes deep.
“From my point of view, it also depends how the practice sessions go. If you feel very well there, you want to produce the same intensity also in the match,” Sinner said. “If certain things don’t work well in the practice session, you try to be slightly better than in the practice session. So it depends, but at the same time I’m here trying to go as far as possible. At the same time, trying to improve and then see what’s working well here.”
Rankings chase ignites familiar fire
Excitement tempers the pursuit, rooted in Doha’s junior memories that now fuel a pro-level hunger. With Alcaraz atop the rankings, Sinner’s serve evolves into a rankings fulcrum, where precision on these courts could echo into clay season momentum. As first serves arc Monday, the Italian’s preparations meet the draw’s reality, poised to transform nostalgia into title contention.
“Some years ago I won a junior tournament, so it’s a very familiar place,” Sinner said. “Obviously a different level now playing the 500 event here. But I’m very excited and let’s see what’s coming.”
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