Former ATP Player Believes Jannik Sinner is “a Bit Frail” Compared to Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz

Jannik Sinner will compete at the Six Kings Slam exhibition tournament in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Former ATP Player Believes Jannik Sinner is “a Bit Frail” Compared to Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz

L-R: Carlos Alcaraz, Novak Djokovic, Jannik Sinner (Image via X/Carlos Alcaraz 4K, Todo Sobre Tenis, The Tennis Letter)

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Former Italian player Paolo Bertolucci has revealed that Jannik Sinner doesn’t have the kind of body that Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz have. This comes just a few days after Sinner retired from his 2025 Shanghai Masters match due to cramping. The Italian star is currently in Riyadh for the Six Kings Slam.

Sinner was expected to defend the Rolex Shanghai Masters after winning his third title of the season at the China Open. But the World No.2 managed to win just one match under the humid conditions in Shanghai. During his third-round tie against Tallon Griekspoor, he won the first set but let his Dutch opponent win the next.

During the third set, he began to struggle with cramps, while trailing 2-3 against Griekspoor. The clear discomfort made him struggle with his movement on the court. He made the decision to retire after losing serve in the fifth game of the decider. Sinner was one of seven players who retired mid-match in Shanghai due to the heat.

Meanwhile, Alcaraz twisted his left ankle during his opening match at the Tokyo Open against Sebastian Baez. He felt serious pain and fell to the ground but did well to get back to his feet and win the match. The Spaniard went on to win the tournament after beating Taylor Fritz in the final.

During an interview with Sky Sports Italia, Bertolucci was asked about Sinner’s retirement at the Shanghai Masters. The Italian former player revealed that Sinner is a bit frail compared to Djokovic and Alcaraz. He added that the 24-year-old doesn’t have the same physical consistency as the two stars:

It’s a shame because Sinner had a great chance in this tournament. The boy is a bit frail. Once he had cramps, once his stomach, once his elbow, and then the blisters and his hip. In short, it’s starting to feel like a lot of things. He doesn’t have the same physical consistency as Djokovic or Alcaraz; this seems obvious to me by now. It’s not surprising. But we shouldn’t worry too much either. I repeat, in this tragedy, we have the world number 2.

Alcaraz, Sinner, and Djokovic are projected to face each other at the Six Kings Slam exhibition tournament. Sinner won the tournament last year after beating Alcaraz in straight sets in the final of the event. Both players are projected to face each other in the final of this year’s edition. Alcaraz leads their head-to-head record 10-5.

Paolo Bertolucci criticizes Jannik Sinner’s Asian swing schedule

Jannik Sinner failed to defend his US Open championship after losing to Carlos Alcaraz in the final. The Italian star didn’t feature at the Laver Cup or Davis Cup, opting to concentrate on his performance at the Asian swing. The 24-year-old had vowed to become unpredictable on the court, leading him to play the China Open and Shanghai Masters.

Jannik Sinner
Jannik Sinner (Image via X/Jannik Sinner HQ)

During the interview above, Paolo Bertolucci was critical of Sinner’s packed late-season schedule, particularly his appearance at the China Open and Shanghai Masters. Bertolucci believes that Sinner’s ambition to reclaim the World No.1 ranking forced him to compete in back-to-back tournaments:

All this in a month and a half. I wonder, is this tour de force really necessary? Was there really a need to go to Beijing? I know the answer: the points, the ranking, the number one… And who cares about all this, you don’t include it? It’s true that Sinner had a shortened season due to the stupid doping ban, but the underlying issue doesn’t change.

Sinner has been one of the most consistent players on tour this season, but has fallen to Alcaraz in four finals, including two Grand Slam championships. The World No. 2 final tournament will be the WTA Finals in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in November. He won the title last year after defeating Taylor Fritz in straight sets.

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