The world number one has continued this run in front of the Italian fans in Rome, where Sinner has broken a Novak Djokovic record.

Sinner is now just two wins away from becoming the first home player to win the Italian Open since 1976, and his compatriot Claudio Pistolesi has revealed if he thinks he is actually good for Italian tennis.

Claudio Pistolesi calls Jannik Sinner ‘a godsend’ for other Italian ATP players

Pistolesi is a former Italian ATP player who reached a career-high ranking of world number 71 and won one main tour singles title in his career.

Since retiring from tennis, Pistolesi has been a coach for many players and a practice partner for nine-time Grand Slam champion Monica Seles.

Speaking about Sinner in an interview with Spazio Tennis, Pistolesi was full of praise for the four-time major winner.

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Pistolesi also claimed that Sinner was good for other Italian ATP players like Lorenzo Musetti and Flavio Cobolli, as he takes pressure away from them.

“If Jannik Sinner didn’t exist, Lorenzo Musetti would be Italy’s number one today,” said Pistolesi. “He reached number five in the world, just one spot shy of Adriano Panatta’s all-time record, reached the semifinals at Wimbledon, and has a stunning one-handed backhand.

“However, human nature is peculiar: we’ve become so accustomed to Jannik’s successes that everything else seems undervalued, and this is neither fair nor sporting. I previously made a joke that was well received. I said that if they had a dog race now, Sinner’s dog would win, because now people have the feeling that he’s capable of understanding and conquering anything.”

Pistolesi continued, “Sinner is a godsend for the other guys too, because he draws all the attention and criticism onto himself, leaving them freer. He’s a player who is born once every 200 years. His mentality is different: he doesn’t care about others, he just wants to improve himself. Seeing him win almost ‘walking’ or trying new solutions in important matches is incredible.

“He’s already broken Djokovic’s records despite being much younger. I think he’s using clay-court tournaments like Madrid and Rome as a sort of paid competitive training to best prepare for Paris. If he were to win in Rome at 50 years old compared to Panatta, it would be an epic moment for Italian tennis.”

Claudio Pistolesi raises concern about Lorenzo Musetti

While Sinner is enjoying a lot of success right now, that is not the case for Italian number two Musetti.

Musetti has already withdrawn from the French Open due to a rectus femoris injury and is therefore confirmed to lose the 800 ranking points he earned at Roland Garros last year.

One of the players Pistolesi coached was former Roland Garros finalist Robin Soderling, and he has drawn comparisons between him and Musetti when raising a concern about his recent injury issues.

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“Regarding Musetti and his injuries, the situation reminds me in part of my experience with Robin Soderling,” said Pistolesi.

“Robin and I often argued because he never stopped. He would sneak out for runs because he felt anxious about not having done enough, and he ended up paying the price in tournaments. 

“Lorenzo suffers from recurring injuries, and even though I’m not on his team, it’s clear that something different needs to be done to protect his health.”

Pistolesi continued, “A common mistake is comparing yourself to others or obsessing over the rankings. Soderling was terrified of dropping out of the top four for fear of the draw, but in the end, only your game and your health matter.

“Musetti is an aesthetic perfectionist: harmony of movement is crucial to him, and when he finds beauty in his game, he wins. This makes him vulnerable if something isn’t perfect, but the addition of Perlas to the team is a sign of great intelligence in supporting him mentally.”