Jannik Sinner hits back at critics such as Adriano Pannatta over accusations of playing ‘only for money’ after he decided to not turn up for the Davis Cup

Jannik Sinner lashed out against people who accuse him of being in it for the money.

Jannik Sinner hits back at critics such as Adriano Pannatta over accusations of playing ‘only for money’ after he decided to not turn up for the Davis Cup

Jannik Sinner(Image via BBC)

Italian tennis player Jannik Sinner rose in uproar as a response to media accusations of him playing only for money. While Sinner has been having quite the commendable season, this did not inoculate him against attacks from the media and professionals. One significant incident was when former French Open champion Adrian Panatta accused Sinner of being a ‘businessman’ and giving up on the Davis Cup and the Paris Olympics. 

Jannik Sinner has been having a respectable few weeks in China. While he was upset in the US Open fourth round by Alexander Zverev, he had entered China with a fresh mind. He faced Daniil Medvedev in the final of the China Open in Beijing, where he defeated the Russian for the first time in his career.

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This title catapulted Sinner into his career-high ranking of World No. 4 and helped him qualify for the Nitto ATP Finals at Turin for the first time. Fresh from the high of the title, the Italian entered the Shanghai Masters, an ATP Masters 1000 event. There, he won his first-round match against Marcos Giron, advancing to the second round against Sebastian Baez.

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However, these accomplishments do not seem to make the media give him a break from their accusations. When the final string snapped, so did Sinner when he rose in protest against the media. “I always listen and accept criticism, because if it comes, it’s because I am strong. However, I disagree with those who have referred to me as someone who is only out to make money,” he said. (H/T: We Love Tennis)

According to the Italian, while he is always open to criticism, it seems like the accusers have crossed a line this time. Sinner further made it clear that he was not in it for money. He solidified his point by emphasizing the fact that he had skipped the tournaments to train.

He also justified himself by establishing that he had never played exhibition matches. These aspects of World No. 4’s career seem to point to the fact that he is not in it for the money. However, this does not seem to put the media off his back.

related: Daniil Medvedev expresses his frustration over the slowness of Shanghai courts, opposes the constant change of speed of courts

Jannik Sinner wins his first match at the Shanghai Masters

World No.4 Jannik Sinner won his first match at the Shanghai Masters against Marcos Giron. Since the Italian is seeded sixth in the Masters 1000 event, he had a first-round bye. Entering the tournament in the second round, the Italian faced Marcos Giron. He defeated the American with a score of 7-6, 6-2.

While Sinner defeated his opponent in straight sets, it was still a thriller. Giron was really catching up with the pace in the first set. He pushed Sinner to his absolute limit, taking the set to a tiebreak. However, Sinner dominated the second set, eventually winning the match.

Sinner is set to face Argentina’s Sebastian Baez in the second round of the tournament. Baez defeated Dane Sweeney in the first round to set his spot in the second. Both Sinner and Baez will hope to play their best tennis and win the match.

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