Sinner is diligently practicing new serving techniques ahead of the China Open to boost his competitiveness against Alcaraz.

Earlier this month, Sinner was defeated by Alcaraz in the US Open final. This loss not only cost him the title but also extended his unfavorable record against Alcaraz—losing seven of their last eight encounters, with Alcaraz now leading their head-to-head 10-5. Following the US Open, Alcaraz reclaimed the world No.1 ranking from Sinner.

After the match, Sinner vowed to improve his serve, and now, ahead of the China Open, his commitment to this promise is becoming apparent.

Despite Sinner’s impressive overall performance—winning four Grand Slam titles in the last eight majors, boasting a remarkable 100-11 record since early 2024, and being defeated by only five players over the past two seasons, firmly establishing himself as a dominant force on the ATP Tour—Alcaraz remains a significant hurdle. Since early last year, seven of Sinner’s eleven losses have come at Alcaraz’s hands, with his sole victory against Alcaraz occurring in the Wimbledon final this July. Therefore, after losing the US Open final, Sinner clearly identified serving as an area for improvement: “I want to become a better player and make some small adjustments to my serve. These details could make a big difference, and then we will see how it goes.”

In fact, under the guidance of coaches Simone Vagnozzi and Darren Cahill, Sinner’s serve has undergone significant refinement over the past two years, yet statistics still reveal weaknesses—his first serve success rate is only 60.6%, ranking 54th on the ATP Tour, indicating substantial room for improvement. Recent training footage shows him working closely with head coach Vagnozzi on the China Open center court, practicing new serving motions: Vagnozzi holds the racket and restricts Sinner’s right arm backswing to help shorten the serving motion.

Starting this Thursday, Sinner will compete as the top seed at the ATP 500 event in Beijing. The effectiveness of his new serving technique will likely be a focal point of attention. Notably, Sinner defeated Daniil Medvedev to win the China Open in 2023 but narrowly lost to Alcaraz in a three-set final in 2024.

However, after concluding the Laver Cup, Alcaraz has chosen to participate in the Japan Open in Tokyo this week. This might allow Sinner to focus more fully on refining his serve without facing his main rival, preparing for their upcoming joint appearance at the Shanghai Masters.

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