Jannik Sinner's new return position is giving him more rhythm. Will it bring a Roland Garros title?

⬆️ A look at Sinner's new return stance, how it begins and when he moves forward before the server makes contact. ⬆️

PARIS—Tennis players are always on the hunt for ways to improve, from changing technique, bringing on new team members or trying out tactical adjustments. Experimenting with leaving their comfort zone, for all intents and purposes. Even if you are world No. 1.

At this year’s Roland Garros, Jannik Sinner has presented opponents with a different look across the net. Bringing an altered return position, which begins with a noticeably closed stance and then using his front foot as a driving force, has clearly paid off thus far, as the Italian is yet to drop a set through four matches.

We changed before here, this tournament. I felt like sometimes I go out of rhythm. Jannik Sinner

Sinner has taken 47 percent of his return points and converted 58 percent of his break points, the latter leading the men’s quarterfinalists heading into Wednesday.

“Parallels wise, I think there’s a bit of [Kei] Nishikori in there,” World Feed commentator Nick Lester assessed with TENNIS.com. “I think what they’re trying to do, is get the momentum and the hips round to meet the ball earlier. As he returns, his weight is going into the court a bit more.

“Proof of the pudding is in the eating, right? It’s been pretty successful so far.”

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Upon taking an initial review of the modification, Tennis Channel’s Prakash Amritraj identified a resemblance to a fellow three-time Grand Slam champion, while echoing Lester’s analysis that momentum is the key profit for Sinner here.

“I took one big hop and land like Andy Murray does,” said Amritraj. “That may be what Sinner’s trying to do. It just gives you a little more momentum,” said Amritraj.”

After clinically dismissing Andrey Rublev in the round of 16 of Monday’s night session, Sinner was asked about the thought process behind implementing a fresh return strategy at the clay-court major by Alizé Cornet during their on-court interview.

“We changed before here, this tournament. I felt like sometimes I go out of rhythm. This one gives me a little bit rhythm and trying to go through the ball,” he explained. “Especially the first serves, they come very, very fast. Sometimes just to block on both sides. Second-serve return, I try to change up a little bit from the back and go in close.”

This approach on how to apply pressure against servers differs to the norm, says Amritraj. That includes the likes of defending title holder Carlos Alcaraz, arguably Sinner’s biggest rival given his positive head-to-head record over the top seed.

“Carlos does what Agassi and Djokovic does. On a general basis, they’ll just do a hop,” he evaluated. “And that’s their split step. Wherever the ball goes, they just turn the outside foot and then go.

“If you take a step and do the split step, which most people do, and sometimes go, you can put a foot back and lose time.”

Sinner is looking to reach the semifinals in Paris for a second year running and meets Alexander Bublik Wednesday afternoon. The unseeded Kazakh, who knocked out Jack Draper in an emotional victory the round prior, leads the field in aces, and is tied with Sinner among the eight remaining contenders in first-serve points won.

“Will be interesting today against probably one of the best servers in tennis,” said Lester. “For me, it’s been a pretty obviously shift.”

Concluded Sinner, “We always try to improve as a player, trying out new things.”