Darderi impressed by Sinner in training: "He is a Martian"

In the silence of the Dubai courts, Jannik Sinner fine-tunes his game. By his side, Luciano Darderi discovers a player of another dimension.

© AFP

Adrien Guyot

le 24/12/2025 à 11h27

2 min to read

Darderi Luciano Sinner Jannik

The entire circuit is fine-tuning the final details of preparation before resuming competition. During the holiday period, players have gradually returned to training around the world, and this is particularly the case for Jannik Sinner.

The Italian was present in Dubai, where he was able to spend some time with his compatriot Luciano Darderi. The latter was impressed by the level of the world number 2, as he recounted to Gazzetta Dello Sport.

"The off-season means travel, simple days marked by relaxation"

"For me, the off-season means travel. From Europe to Argentina, where I spend two weeks with my mother and family. Simple days, marked by relaxation and affection.

Then, I pack my bags again. An endless flight from Buenos Aires to India, with a stopover in São Paulo, then Dubai and finally Ahmedabad. After that, I return to Dubai, where I have lived for over a year and will stay until the week before Auckland, the first tournament of the season.

"I felt like I was in a spaceship that left Earth and landed on Mars"

That's where the real work begins, the kind done in silence. I also train with Jannik Sinner. He is a quiet guy, but very serious. He only thinks about training and work.

Compared to the level of matches in India, it's a whole different thing. The heaviness of the ball and the consistency in rallies make all the difference. I felt like I was in a spaceship that left Earth and landed on Mars. Jannik is a Martian," Darderi stated, according to comments gathered by Tennis World Italia.