Jannik Sinner has revealed that he is not feeling ‘100 per cent’ in a worrying statement ahead of the Paris Masters quarter-finals. The young Italian is the overwhelming favourite to lift the trophy after Carlos Alcaraz was dumped out of the tournament by Cameron Norrie. Ben Shelton will await Sinner in the last eight but the reigning Wimbledon champion has already played down his chances of victory.
He showed signs of discomfort during his recent win over Francisco Cerundolo, appearing restricted in his movement in the opening set. Towards the end of the match, the 24-year-old looked fatigued and in pain but still managed to pull through in straight sets. Afterwards, he sparked concern by suggesting that he wouldn’t be able to play at his best against Shelton.
“I’m trying to manage it as best I can, but it’s clear I’m not at 100 per cent,” said Sinner. “We’ll see. I feel like today’s match was less physical, which is good for me. I’m happy to have won it in two sets, in under an hour and a half. I’m going to sleep very well tonight.”
Sinner has competed in 11 tournament this year, including the Paris Masters. However, he stopped short of following in Alcaraz’s footsteps by blaming the packed ATP schedule, instead stating that players have the freedom to choose where they play.
Reflecting on his victory over Cerundolo, the Italian admitted to making a few mistakes and said he would be looking to improve against Shelton.
“I was up twice with a break in the first set, but I couldn’t capitalise,” he added. “I put myself in an uncomfortable situation. I’m happy with how I handled the match, I felt much better.
“I hope this gives me the confidence to start well tomorrow. Every match is different. We’ll see what happens. I hope to recover physically; that’s my priority. We’ll see.
“Anyway, today was a great match and a great performance on my part. Tomorrow I have a very difficult opponent. I have to play at 100 per cent. I hope I can. We’re all expecting a great match.”
It comes after Sinner called out the four Grand Slam tournaments for refusing to discuss players’ requests for greater prize money and welfare benefits, including pensions and healthcare.
He said: “We had good conversations with the Grand Slams at Roland Garros and Wimbledon, so it was disappointing when they said they cannot act on our proposals until other issues are resolved.
“Calendar and scheduling are important topics, but there is nothing stopping the slams from addressing player welfare benefits like pensions and healthcare right now.
“The Grand Slams are the biggest events and generate most of the revenue in tennis, so we are asking for a fair contribution to support all players, and for prize money that better reflects what these tournaments earn.”
