Jannik Sinner will not play in the Paris-Bercy Masters 1000. The world number 1 – who was supposed to make his debut tomorrow against the winner of the match between Ben Shelton and Corentin Moutet – has retired from the last Masters 1000 of the season due to an intestinal virus.
“I’m very sorry that I can’t play the Masters 1000 in Paris-Bercy, I had arrived here much earlier to prepare myself better, but I don’t feel well. I have a virus that should pass in the next 2-3 days and I do not feel ready to compete at this time” – said the 2-time Grand Slam champion.
Jannik Sinner, Six Kings Slam 2024© Stream screenshot
The Italian ace never had a special feeling with this tournament. Jannik made his debut in Bercy in 2021, when he was defeated by a very young Carlos Alcaraz in their first official match on the professional tour (if you don’t consider the match at the Challenger in Alicante). The following year, his run was over in the second round also due to a hand injury that would have blown up the Davis Cup Finals. In 2023 – instead – Sinner had won by a narrow margin at his debut but retired before the round of 16 match against Alex de Minaur.
Sinner withdraws
The 23-year-old from Sesto Pusteria should have no trouble recovering in time for his big goal in this last part of the season, the Nitto ATP Finals in Turin. The world number 1 will be the big favorite in Turin, being its ideal surface and having already reached the final last year (lost to Novak Djokovic). Sinner has had a really great season, with seven titles – including two Majors and three Masters 1000 – and only six losses from January to date.
Sinner© Sinner Facebook/Fair Use
In a recent interview with ‘Sky Sport Italy’, Jannik revealed his plans for the rest of his career: “I’m going to play another 15 years until I am 35-40 years old. Let’s hope my body can hold on. They say that 15 years is a long time, but it’s not, because I arrived here in the hotel, the same hotel, same room, and I realized this year passed really fast.
So, we are trying to make all the possible choices to continue playing tennis for as long as possible for my body, but we also can’t waste time. It’s a nice balance of improvement, working with the desire to win and having around the people you want and who you know can help you.”
The Italian champion has realized his dream by climbing to the top of the ATP ranking: “Honestly I don’t think so much about this. This is something I’ve worked my whole life, you know, to be world No 1. Now I am there and I just try to enjoy. Every match you have a lot of pressure, you have a lot of expectations, but this pressure and expectations starts from my side because I want to win and prove to myself that I am capable to win these kinds of matches. Of course it’s never easy, you know, to be in that position, but I always say it’s a huge privilege to be in this position and I try to enjoy some good tennis. The rest I cannot control.”
Huge caution
Jannik’s other goal in this season finale – along with the ATP Finals – is the Davis Cup Finals in Malaga. The world number 1 will try to drag Italy to its second straight triumph at this event after last year’s wonderful run. Italy will face Argentina in the quarter-finals. Guillermo Coria is the captain of the Argentine Davis Cup squad that will face Italy in the quarterfinals of the 2024 Finals in Malaga. In a long interview with Marca, Coria also spoke about Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz and analyzed the challenge of Davis against the team led by Filippo Volandri.
Jannik Sinner, Shanghai Masters 2024© Stream screenshot
Is Argentina ready for the Davis Cup Finals? “We are a young team – said Coria – We have double experience. We won important matches in Manchester. All this gives us a positive energy to face the final phase”. The first opponent in the quarterfinals is Jannik Sinner’s Italy: “Our successes have given us confidence. Now it’s the turn of Italy and they are favorites because they have Jannik Sinner and a great team, but we go with enthusiasm and much desire.
With the knowledge that we have a chance to achieve success which would be amazing.” Sebastian Baez, Francisco Cerundolo, Tomas Martin Etcheverry, Maximo Gonzalez and Andres Molteni. “At the moment this is the Argentine team – explains Coria – we are waiting for the end of Paris Bercy to have a clearer and definitive ‘picture’”.