Jannik Sinner’s Defeat to Carlos Alcaraz in French Open Final is ‘Reason’ Behind Shocking Split with Novak Djokovic’s Ex-Team Member

Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz are expected to start their campaign in North America at the Cincinnati Masters.

Jannik Sinner’s Defeat to Carlos Alcaraz in French Open Final is ‘Reason’ Behind Shocking Split with Novak Djokovic’s Ex-Team Member

Carlos Alcaraz, Marco Panichi, Jannik Sinner (Image via X/Carlos Alcaraz 4K, Jannik Sinner HQ)

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Jannik Sinner, shortly before Wimbledon, ended his partnership with physio Ulises Badio and fitness trainer Marco Panichi. This came as shocking news, given that this decision was taken right before a Grand Slam tournament.

Initially, reports emerged that Panichi said something during an interview that Sinner did not like. Now, Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera (as per Tennis365) reported the real reason behind the split, and it had to do with the World No.1’s upsetting defeat to arch-rival Carlos Alcaraz in the French Open final.

According to the report, Panichi, who has also worked with Novak Djokovic, revealed what had happened right after Sinner’s five-set defeat to the Spaniard. Sinner had cried for 15 minutes in the locker room and was also upset that the crowd on Court Philippe-Chatrier supported the World No.2 more than him.

The French Open final, which has also become the longest one in the history of the tournament, lasted for five hours and 29 minutes. Sinner squandered a 2-0 set lead, and later in the fourth set, he failed to convert three of his championship points, with Alcaraz making an impressive comeback to defend his title.

It was also the first match in the tournament where the 23-year-old lost a set. In addition, it was also Sinner’s first French Open final.

Sinner, however, didn’t let the same happen again when he scheduled another Grand Slam final clash with Alcaraz at Wimbledon. This time, the five-time Grand Slam champion won the first set, but Sinner then took a 2-1 lead and found himself at 5-4, 40-0 in the fourth set.

Although he missed one championship point, he didn’t repeat the mistakes and became the first Italian player to win Wimbledon thanks to an unreturned serve. It was his second title of the season, following his Australian Open win. He also denied Alcaraz the three-peat at SW19.

Nicolas Massu feels tennis is in good hands with Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner

Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz have lifted the last seven Grand Slam titles, with Novak Djokovic being the last player to emerge as the winner in this category (2023 US Open). Next is the US Open, and the two young rivals will be aiming to double their title tally at Flushing Meadows.

Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz (3)
Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz (Image via X/Jannik Sinner HQ)

Alcaraz was the winner in 2022 (his first Grand Slam title), while Sinner lifted it last year. Recently, during the ESPN Tennis show, Olympic gold medalist Nicolas Massu, a former World No.9, likened Sinner and Alcaraz to the Big 3- Djokovic, Roger Federer, and Rafael Nadal.

I remember when Nadal arrived on the circuit. I think Alcaraz is at the same level and at the same age. On the other hand, Sinner is a bit more in the line of Federer and Djokovic: they won their first Grand Slam a bit later, and they started showing maturity at 21 or 22 years old. Alcaraz and Nadal were very good from a very young age, at 18 or 19. Tennis is in very good hands.

Sinner and Alcaraz were scheduled to play the Canadian Open, but both players decided to withdraw from the first Masters 1000 of the North American hard-court swing. They are expected to start their campaign at the Cincinnati Masters, where Alcaraz suffered a first-round exit, while the four-time Grand Slam champion lifted the title by beating home favorite Frances Tiafoe.

Alcaraz was the runner-up in the 2023 Cincinnati Open, losing that match to Djokovic. The Serb skipped the tournament last year, and it’s uncertain about his participation this time as well.

So far in the season, Alcaraz has reached seven finals and lifted five trophies: in Rotterdam, Monte Carlo, Rome, Paris, and London (at the Queen’s Club Championships). Djokovic has lifted only the Geneva Open.

Also read: Andrey Rublev Reveals Timeline for Marat Safin After His Suspicious Absence from his Camp at Montreal