Roger Federer’s ex-coach criticizes Jannik Sinner’s scheduling comments
The debate of congested fixtures on the tennis calendar seems to have divided opinion, with Jannik Sinner the notable guys speaking about it.
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Jannik Sinner (Image via X)
Roger Federer’s former coach, Paul Annacone, has criticized Jannik Sinner’s suggestion that players should skip tournaments if they wish. The World No. 1 had proposed that the ATP improve its schedule by allowing players to opt out of events they find excessive.
Annacone, who coached Federer from 2010 to 2013, shared on Tennis Channel that Sinner’s advice may not work for everyone. The former coach of Pete Sampras pointed out that players aiming for the World Tour Finals or major sponsorships often need to play more tournaments to stay competitive.
I loved hearing Jannik Sinner say, ‘Yeah, that’s a lot of tennis. There’s too many tournaments. But if you don’t want to play, don’t play.’ Obviously, it’s easier when you’re one of the best players in the world, but if you’re going to be competing in year-end championships, trying to meet your commitments in terms of teams, sponsorships, partners, etc., it’s very difficult to determine when not to play.
Paul Annacone on Tennis Channel
The issue of a packed schedule has sparked mixed opinions on both the ATP and WTA tours. Carlos Alcaraz voiced concerns, saying the ATP schedule might “kill” him due to the volume of matches and tournaments.
So it’s not as simple as that to say if you don’t want to play, you don’t play. But the structure of the professional tour is really fractured, and always has been.
Paul Annacone added
Similarly, Iga Swiatek has advocated for significant breaks during the season, while Aryna Sabalenka has called for equal prize money for men and women, given their similar schedules. The debate of tennis scheduling might rumble on in the next season.
Jannik Sinner’s astonishing prize money revealed after his failed doping test
Jannik Sinner has had his best season yet, but some think he should have missed much of 2024 after failing two drug tests in March. He tested positive for an anabolic steroid, but on August 20, an independent tribunal ruled he wasn’t at fault and chose not to penalize him.
The tribunal accepted Sinner’s explanation that the banned substance entered his body by accident. According to the World No.1, his physio had used a spray containing the steroid to treat a cut on their own finger, which was then transferred to him during a massage. Despite this decision, WADA appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, aiming to impose a ban of up to two years on the 23-year-old Italian.
Surprisingly, Sinner continued competing after learning of the test results from the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA). In his first tournament after being notified, he won the Miami Open and took home $1,100,000. He kept building on this success, earning substantial prize money from strong performances at major tournaments like the Monte-Carlo Masters, Madrid Masters, and Wimbledon.
Since March, Sinner has collected nearly $14 million, including big wins at the Cincinnati Masters, US Open, and Shanghai Masters. He even earned $6 million for winning the Six Kings Slam in Saudi Arabia. Many feel that if the Italian had been suspended while awaiting a decision, he would have only returned to play in time for the US Open.
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Fahad Hamid
(673 Articles Published)