Sinner reveals his unique pre-match ritual habits, which share similarities with Nadal's.

At just 24 years old, Sinner already holds four Grand Slam titles, but have you ever wondered what this star does off the court before a match begins? Let's see what he recently said.

"I always go to the same bathroom. But this changes every year; if the previous year's results were poor, I switch it." Sinner detailed his pre-match routine on his official YouTube channel.

Last November, during the "Nike event for Jannik Sinner" in Turin, TennisTalker reporters learned from Sinner, along with coaches Darren Cahill and Vagnozzi, about another habit. "Honestly, I can sleep before every match. I usually wake up about 45 minutes before the match. That's my luck, because many people can't sleep. Whenever I have time, I warm up, eat, then sleep again... and then go to play!" he said.

Not only Sinner, Nadal also has a long list of pre-match habits, strictly followed in every game. These include taking a cold shower 45 minutes before the match, pulling both socks to the same height, arranging water bottles in fixed positions, and wiping sweat with a towel after each point.

One of Nadal's most iconic habits is adjusting his hair behind his ears and his shorts or underwear before each serve. He also has a fixed routine involving his family before entering the court. In his autobiography "Rafa: My Story," the Spaniard wrote that he always looked for his family in the audience, including his parents, Uncle Toni Nadal, his sister, and others.

"On the far end of the court to my left are my parents and Uncle Toni; diagonally opposite them, behind my right shoulder, are my sister, three grandparents, and my godparents—who are also my aunt and uncle, plus another uncle," Nadal wrote.

He also thought of his grandfather, who couldn't often attend and watched from home, and later his girlfriend María Francisca, who became his wife. "I can also picture in my mind my grandfather and my girlfriend María Francisca (I call her Mary) watching my match on TV at home in Manacor," he added.

Looking at this Italian player's pre-match habits, they likely won't change soon, as he is currently in excellent form. After reaching the semifinals at the Australian Open and the quarterfinals at the Qatar Open earlier this year, the world No. 2 regained his seasonal rhythm with the "Sunshine Double."

He defeated Medvedev 7-6(6), 7-6(4) to win his first Indian Wells title; then at the Miami Open, he beat Lehecka 6-4, 6-4 to claim consecutive victories. With this achievement, Sinner became the eighth male player in history to complete the "Sunshine Double."

These two titles also narrowed the gap in ATP rankings between him and world No. 1 Alcaraz. As the clay season begins, this 24-year-old player will have the opportunity to reach the world No. 1 spot for the second time in his career.

Both will compete at the Monte Carlo Masters from April 5 to 12. Alcaraz currently leads the ATP rankings with 13,590 points, followed closely by Sinner with 12,400 points. However, as the defending champion, the Spaniard will lose 1,000 points before this tournament.

The points gap between them will shrink to just 190 points. If Sinner performs better than the 22-year-old Alcaraz at the Monte Carlo Masters, he will ascend to world No. 1. The Italian has never won this tournament and hopes to end the long wait this time.

But Sinner is not only playing singles here. He will debut in doubles at a major tournament, partnering with Zizou Bergs. Sinner/Bergs will face Ruud/Mahach in the first round of the Monte Carlo Open. The Italian previously partnered with Opelka in doubles at Indian Wells, entering with a wildcard but losing in the first round to Marcel Granollers/Horacio Zeballos.

Can Sinner continue his hot streak and reach world No. 1 at the Monte Carlo Masters? Or will Alcarars hold onto the top spot? Share your thoughts in the comments!Source: Tennis Home Author: Spark