‘He Will Try To Destroy’ – Jannik Sinner’s Opponent Shintaro Mochizuki Gets Honest Ahead of Wimbledon Clash
· Yahoo Sports
As Jannik Sinner gets ready to face a new opponent in the fourth round of the 2026 Wimbledon Championships, Shintaro Mochizuki is looking forward to the challenge.
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After pulling off the biggest upset of his career by defeating Rafael Jódar in the third round, Mochizuki previewed the mammoth test that awaits him against the World No. 1.
Jannik Sinner’s Wimbledon Opponent Shintaro Mochizuki Opens Up on Clash Against World No.1
After a shock second-round defeat brought his French Open campaign to an abrupt end, Sinner has returned to business as usual at Wimbledon. The Italian began his title defense with a hard-fought five-set victory over Miomir Kecmanović before finding his rhythm. He followed it up with straight-set wins over Nuno Borges and Jenson Brooksby, the latter on Friday, to book his place in the fourth round.
Next up for Sinner is an intriguing assignment against Mochizuki, who is on the run of his life at the moment. The 23-year-old came from a set down to defeat 23rd seed Jódar in the third round and now has his sights set on claiming an even bigger scalp.
“It’s a strange feeling to play Jannik at Wimbledon, especially this year. I was not winning much before coming here. I don’t know how I’ve been winning matches here. I’m excited, but I also feel a little strange. But I just want to keep enjoying it,” Mochizuki said during his post-match press conference on Friday.
A former junior Wimbledon champion, Mochizuki has enjoyed success at the All England Club. But he knows he will have to deliver a near-faultless performance to stand any chance against Sinner, who has lost just three matches on the Tour this year.
“He’s just a celebrity for me. That’s why I said it feels strange to play against him. But I’m sure he will play very quick and he will try to destroy. I just want to do whatever I can to distract him. Just by hitting tennis balls, I don’t think I can beat him. So I want to do something else to make him uncomfortable, like hitting balls low, coming into the net,” he added.
Mochizuki hadn’t won a singles main draw match on the ATP Tour this year before his stunning run at Wimbledon and is currently ranked 151st in the ATP rankings. However, he is finding his form at the right time, and if he can upset Sinner’s rhythm early on, there is every chance he could pull off one of the biggest shocks in Wimbledon history.