Jannik Sinner says WTA teenager compared to Carlos Alcaraz is ‘very talented’ and ‘very different’
Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images Lilli Tagger has emerged as one of the stories of Indian Wells, even though her tournament came to an end in the third round. She earned her spot in the draw as a lucky loser, replacing 14th seed Victoria Azarenka. Tagger went on to win two rounds and made headlines by taking a set off Naomi Osaka before eventually falling short.
Osaka praised Tagger after their match, and she isn’t the only big name in tennis who’s been impressed. Jannik Sinner has also backed her potential. Sinner is coming off his title run at Indian Wells and looking to become just the eighth man to complete the Sunshine Double at the Miami Open.
He’s already made a solid start, beating Damir Dzumhur 6-3, 6-3 in his opening match. After that first win in Miami, Sinner spoke about Tagger, recalling when they first trained together while she was just 14 years old. “We were practising together when she was still like, let’s say very young,” he said via Tennis.
com. Lilli Tagger gets praise from Jannik Sinner Photo by Lintao Zhang/Getty Images Much like Sinner, 18-year-old Tagger has a background in winter sports, having spent time skiing and playing ice hockey before focusing on tennis. Speaking to the media after his match, Sinner highlighted what sets the Austrian apart, noting that her one-handed backhand is a rare sight in the women’s game.
Sinner also pointed out that skiing gave him more mental toughness than physical balance, stressing that dealing with pressure and setbacks in other sports helped shape his tennis career. “I know her very well, she’s a very talented player, very talented, very different than we see now, especially in women’s tennis,” said Sinner. “She is someone who likes to play tennis; you see the passion and I think that’s the main thing a player should have.