2 tennis players Antonio Conte admires most

• Celebrated football coach Antonio Conte has spoken of his admiration for two tennis stars
• Conte is known for his managerial prowess in football with stints at Juventus, Chelsea, Inter, and Tottenham
• He is a big tennis fan and attends matches

Celebrated football coach Antonio Conte has spoken of his admiration for tennis stars Jannik Sinner and Novak Djokovic.

Conte, known for his managerial prowess in football with stints at Juventus, Chelsea, Inter, and Tottenham, couldn’t help but express his admiration for the talents gracing the courts at the 2023 ATP Nitto Finals in Turin.

Antonio Conte Talks About Jannik Sinner

Sinner’s dazzling debut at the Nitto Finals, where he triumphed over the formidable Stefanos Tsitsipas without conceding a single break point, ignited a fervour among Italian tennis enthusiasts.

The 22-year-old’s stellar performance prompted Conte, who was present in Turin for the year-end Masters, to join the chorus of praise for the emerging tennis sensation.

Former football manager Antonio Conte. Photo/Sky Sports

Speaking to SuperTennis, Conte lauded Sinner’s extraordinary form, highlighting the young Italian’s commendable display against Tsitsipas, an established force in the tennis circuit.

The victory not only showcased Sinner’s skills but also fueled the dreams of Italian fans eager to witness their compatriot’s ascent in the tennis hierarchy.

However, Conte’s admiration wasn’t confined to the tennis prodigy from San Candido. The former Chelsea manager extended his accolades to the Serbian powerhouse, Djokovic, the undisputed world no.1.

Conte, relishing the tennis spectacle that Turin offered, expressed his happiness at the city hosting the event for the third consecutive year.

“I’m really happy that Turin is able to host this event. This is the third year. I wasn’t able to attend the previous editions for work reasons, and it was a shame. This year I’m really happy to do it because you come to see the absolute champions. I also had the pleasure of meeting Novak Djokovic; I am a great admirer of him. It’s all very nice; we must be proud,” Conte enthusiastically shared.

Conte’s words echoed the sentiment of many, recognizing Djokovic’s unparalleled achievements and contributions to the sport.

Celebrated football manager Antonio Conte. Photo/TeamTalk

His appreciation for Djokovic’s presence at the tournament underscored the calibre of players participating in the Nitto Finals, making it a must-watch event for sports aficionados.

Turning his attention back to Sinner, Conte marvelled at the young player’s potential, acknowledging the impressive strides he had made in the world of tennis.

Recounting an interview he had watched on Sky Sports, Conte highlighted Sinner’s mentality and relentless desire to evolve into an absolute champion.

The former football manager commended Sinner’s work ethic, emphasizing that the 22-year-old’s commitment and sacrifice had propelled him to great heights, with aspirations to reach the pinnacle of the sport.

“He has impressive potential. I recently saw his interview on Sky Sport, in which he talks about his mentality and desire to improve to become an absolute champion. You can see that he wants to work. Through sacrifice and work he has reached great levels and he wants to get to the top,” stated the former Tottenham manager.

Sinner holds the world No. 4 ATP ranking and is among a new breed of young and competitive tennis players. He is the highest-ranked Italian male tennis player of all time. and the first Italian male player to be ranked in the top 10 since Adriano Panatta in 1976.

He has been steadily rising in the rankings over the past few years. He broke into the top 100 in 2019 and the top 50 in 2021. He has won ten ATP Tour titles in singles, including a Masters 1000 title at the 2023 Canadian Open.

Tennis pundits say that he is a powerful force in the ATP Tour. In fact, Carlos Alcaraz has in the past admitted that Sinner is the player he fears most because of his tennis wit.

The 20-year-old Spaniard said that “it is scary” facing Sinner but he loves the challenge because he learns a few tricks when playing against him.