Jannik Sinner reached the round of 16 of theATP Madrid at the end of a match that caused quite a few concerns for the physical condition of the world no.2. The class of 2001 won 6-2, 7-5 over the Russian Pavel Kotov at the end of a match that lasted an hour and 38 minutes. Now, on Tuesday 30 April, another Russian will be waiting for him: Karen Khachanov.
WHAT SINNER HAS DONE IN MADRID
The first set, despite the serve being lost on two occasions, went smoothly, with the Italian giving the sensation of traveling at a pace from the baseline that was unsustainable for his opponent. Furthermore, Sinner was also appreciated for some very fine short balls.
The scenario changed completely in the second half. Kotov broke the blue’s serve in the third game, but it was clear that our standard bearer’s ball was traveling much slower. It is no coincidence that the Russian began to withstand the prolonged exchanges and also to hurt with his forehand.
After done stretching in a couple of circumstances, Sinner began to notice obvious difficulties in lateral movements to the right. From the middle of the second set, meetings with the bench began. The winner of the Australian Open 2024 said verbatim to his coach Simone Vagnozzi: “I’m in pain“. The latter replied that he was only thinking about the match and trying to bring it home despite the difficult situation, as actually happened.
THE WITHDRAWAL HYPOTHESIS
In the post-match interview, Sinner explained the nature of the physical ailment: “I’ve had some problems with my right hip recently, it’s nothing serious. Sometimes I feel it a little stronger like today, other times less. I have a team that looks after me well and I hope to be ready for the next match tomorrow“.
Actually, in the next answer, he made it clear that his presence on the pitch is not at all a given: “For tomorrow we have to understand what is best for my body“.
Already in Monte Carlo the world no.2 had explained that the ATP in Madrid was not one of the main seasonal objectives and that he would approach it as a preparatory tournament in view of the Italian Internationals in Rome and Roland Garros in Paris. If two plus two equals four, a lump sum tomorrow shouldn’t be too surprising. It would not only be precautionary, but also strategic, because he would have a good 10 more days available to prepare comfortably for the appointment in the capital.
Sinner subsequently wanted to clarify the issue in a press conference: “The problem doesn’t worry me, but I’ve felt a bit of annoyance for a while, already since Monaco. I don’t worry too much about the future, but let’s say that sometimes I feel it and it’s not quite right. But we are at least trying to find a solution and obviously from now on in the tournament I will find people who are increasingly stronger, fitter and will be much more physical. So I have to raise the bar. Nobody knows what happens tomorrow, so there’s no point thinking about it now. There are moments where I feel it more, others a little less, but I don’t want to talk too much about this. If I take the field it means that I am able to play and if instead I don’t take the field, very low probability knowing me, it will be for my good and for the next tournaments. However, I feel quite calm, we have an excellent physique and we work hard at it, so I am very confident that tomorrow I can raise the level“.
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