Jannik Sinner Breaks Silence on Criticism He Faced After Davis Cup Withdrawal Decision

Jannik Sinner is dealing with harsh criticism due to the fact that he will not be playing the Davis Cup Finals. The tournament is scheduled to start on November 18 in Bologna.

But Sinner, who helped Italy win the Davis Cup in the last two seasons by winning every match he played, wants to take an extra week off. The tennis calendar is long as it doesn’t end before November.

Sinner, after his off days, will start his pre-season preparation earlier, so that he goes to Australia well prepared. In the Grand Slam event Down Under, the 24-year-old will be aiming for a three-peat.

When he announced that he wouldn’t be representing Italy in the Davis Cup, he received harsh criticism from former player Nicola Pietrangeli, who indirectly accused him of playing tennis only for money. Former player Paolo Bertolucci and Italian Davis Cup captain Filippo Volandri, however, respected the decision the four-time Grand Slam champion has made. Sinner has now made his feelings known on the criticism he is dealing with, delivering a concise response.

I can say that I accept all the criticism, but I’ve already said everything, and I have nothing more to add.

Jannik Sinner said at the press conference in Vienna

Sinner is in Vienna, chasing his fourth title of the season following his wins at the Australian Open, Wimbledon, and the China Open. Before Vienna, he was in Riyadh for the Six Kings Slam, ending the event in his favor by beating Carlos Alcaraz, taking home $6 million as prize money.

Naomi Cavaday lauds Jannik Sinner after his Vienna Open match

Jannik Sinner‘s first-round match in Vienna has impressed former WTA player Naomi Cavaday, who found his game flawless. Cavaday, in particular, was in awe of Sinner making some changes to his game right after his US Open defeat, as after his defeat to Carlos Alcaraz, the Italian admitted that his game had become predictable and he wanted to add more variety.

Wow, there’s almost nothing to say because the tennis said it all. It was so far away, in terms of level, it was absolutely extraordinary. Every small detail was played to perfection, which meant there was no way in, not a chance for Daniel Altmaier, and that became quite clear about halfway through the first set.

Naomi Cavaday said on Sky Sports

Sinner lost just two games against his first-round opponent, Daniel Altmaier, handing him the bagel in the first set, to improve his head-to-head record to 3-1. He hit five aces and committed no double faults.

Even those adjustments, in such a short space of time, realising when he’s staying back, coming forward, changing where the return goes, getting it perfect every time, so Altmaier doesn’t even have the element of surprise. He had nothing to work with there whatsoever; it was completely and utterly flawless.

Naomi Cavaday added

Sinner’s second-round opponent is compatriot Flavio Cobolli, who knocked out Tomas Machac in straight sets in the previous round. The reigning Wimbledon champion will be meeting the 23-year-old for the first time in his career.

Sinner is a former champion in the ATP 500 event, winning it in 2023 by defeating Daniil Medvedev. He skipped the event last year.

If he wins the event, the ranking points he will get won’t be enough to dethrone Alcaraz from the top, as he still will be more than 800 points behind the six-time Grand Slam champion. But a win in Vienna plus at the Paris Masters will take Sinner back to the top of the table. Sinner has no point to defend in Paris as he skipped it last year.

Also read: “What are You Referring to?” Andy Roddick Urges Clarity from Novak Djokovic on ‘Monopoly’ Comment

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