At Roland Garros, Jannik Sinner will play as a pair with Nick Kyrgios
Jannik Sinner has accustomed us to often somewhat peculiar choices, but this time the world number 2, who is trying to overtake Carlos Alcaraz, has somewhat outdone himself. While the whole of Italy is licking its wounds after yet another failure to qualify for the World Championships, the South Tyrolean racquet star has announced that in the second slam of the season, Roland Garros, he will also participate in the doubles tournament and will do so paired with Nick Kyrgios.
“We complement each other perfectly both as athletes and on a character level: we have already agreed that in any case our adventure will stop in the second round, because I obviously do not intend to affect my singles tournament,” Sinner stressed. “This is the answer to the malicious tongues that I don’t get along with Jannik,” the Australian’s words.
The news is even more sensational when one considers the less than idyllic relationship the two had until recently. Kyrgios had been waging a full-blown media campaign against Sinner for months, fueled by the Clostebol case and continuing well after its resolution, even going so far as to publicly declare his preference for Carlos Alcaraz: “You’re my favorite player, I want you to win: I’ll organize the party,” the Australian had said referring to the Murcian, unleashing the fury of the Alto Adige’s fans. Sinner, true to his style, had always chosen the path of silence, letting results speak for him.
And of results, lately, Sinner has been collecting extraordinary ones. The South Tyrolean has just completed the so-called “Sunshine Double,” winning the Indian Wells and Miami Masters 1000s without losing a single set in either tournament, a feat that has left even insiders speechless. Former U.S. tennis player Steve Johnson, host of the ‘Nothing Major’ podcast, commented on the feat this way, “You can’t underestimate his dominance over the last month. 34 straight sets won in the Masters 1000, that’s absolutely insane. To be able to pull off this feat, you can’t afford to lose concentration for five minutes, a lost break and two missed forehands can cost you a set, and he didn’t miss. It’s absolutely unbelievable the level he was able to reach.”
On the ranking front, the challenge with Alcaraz is more alive than ever. Thanks to his Miami Open victory, Sinner has narrowed the gap to the Spaniard to just 1,190 points, and in Monte Carlo he could even regain the top spot. The scenarios are multiple: it would be enough to win the title in the Principality, regardless of Alcaraz’s path, or reach the final should the Spaniard stop in the semifinals. It is no coincidence, then, that Roland Garros represents a doubly ambitious goal for Sinner: in addition to chasing the world number one, the South Tyrolean is aiming for his first major career victory on clay, the surface on which Alcaraz historically has an advantage.
