“It would be an absolute shock if he doesn’t make the final” : Jim Courier on Jannik Sinner at the 2026 Australian Open
Jannik Sinner is among the top favorites to retain his Australian Open title this year. The Italian claimed his first Grand Slam title in Melbourne two years ago, coming back from two sets down in the final against Daniil Medvedev.
Jannik Sinner has just gone from strength to strength after claiming his first Grand Slam title here in Melbourne. He returned back last year, and defended his title, defeating Alexander Zverev in straight sets in the finals.
Former American tennis player and legend Jim Courier believes that it would be an absolute shock if Jannik Sinner fails to reach at least the finals of the 2026 Australian Open. The Italian, alongside the top seed Carlos Alcaraz, have dominated world tennis over the last two seasons, winning four Majors each.
“It’s hard to see him really struggling” : Jim Courier on Jannik Sinner
Jim Courier further stated that it would also be hard to see the Italian struggling in Melbourne, given some big changes he has made to his game since his 2025 US Open final defeat to Carlos Alcaraz. The Italian has improved his serve, which gives him an advantage in rallies.
“It’s hard to see him really struggling given how consistent he is in the past few seasons,” Courier told TNT Sports. “He has automated all of his shots. He picks the right shots to play, he is unbelievable at defence, then he has an onslaught of shots to play offensively from everywhere you look.
“The serve has got significantly more consistent since the US Open since he changed his ball toss where he had a bad serving day and he’s been a completely different server since that, which gives him a leg up in his rallies. It would be an absolute shock if he doesn’t make the final.”
Jannik Sinner opened his campaign against Hugo Gaston on Tuesday in the first round of the 2026 Australian Open. The Italian dominated the first two sets, but the Frenchman had to withdraw after two sets given that he was battling serious physical issues. Jannik Sinner, seeded second in Melbourne, will now face a stern challenge in James Duckworth in the second round on Thursday.
