Jannik Sinner knocked out, fans take it well

Defeat against ‘black beast’ Medvedev has not dented fans’ confidence

After playing a good first set, in which he had to succumb 6-4, Jannik Sinner was unable to do anything in the second set, which he lost sharply 6-2, to Daniil Medveded, the Russian former world number one.

Pain in the ankle of his right foot certainly affected the performance of the Blue, who was also visibly in pain in some parts of the match. Although the defeat almost irretrievably jeopardizes the South Tyrolean’s chances of re-entering the ATP Nitto Finals in Turin – a feat in Paris-Bercy, where Sinner is called upon to win the tournament to hope to reattach himself to the top-8 train – his fans are not losing heart.

After the fall against Medved, yes, some criticism came, but on social media confidence and understanding prevail for an athlete who has not even been particularly lucky this year.

“Jannik Sinner still has obvious gaps (serve, net game, smash) and considering the injury it was impossible to beat Medvedev today. I never even thought about it, beyond the break in the opening set. But that he is a phenomenon is not in dispute,” Alessandra wrote on Twitter. “He certainly could have done more, but it was a good match in the first set,” Carla echoed her. “Regardless, Jannik Sinner has made remarkable progress and he is only 21 years old. Let’s give it time and the results will show. Come on Kannik,” is Franco’s comment. More ‘severe’ Fulvia, who argues how the Italian must “stop making mistakes… but tennis is played in two and not alone, and often it’s your opponent’s game that makes you make mistakes.”

Despite having achieved excellent results in skiing since childhood, at the age of 13 Jannik decided to devote himself exclusively to tennis, moving to Bordighera, at the court of Riccardo Piatti. It was a choice that would prove successful, as Sinner is the youngest Italian tennis player ever to enter the top 100 (October 2019) and to win an Atp title in the Open era (Sofia 2020). In addition, along with Matteo Berrettini, Jannik is the only Italian tennis player to have reached at least the round of 16 in all four Slams. For him, 2022 was the breakthrough year: he left Piatti to rely on Vagnozzi.