Riccardo Piatti Speaks His Mind About Jannik Sinner After His Withdrawal

Jannik Sinner’s former coach, Riccardo Piatti, commented in an interview with RAI on the recent injuries suffered by Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz, which have affected the entire season to such an extent that the two have faced each other only once this year, in Monte Carlo, unlike the five matches they played in 2025.

“I believe these injuries and these long breaks are due to the schedule, which has changed compared to the past. Now we have to be smart and make the right choices regarding the schedule. These players can’t play all year round.”

“There’s a lot of money in tennis and a lot of media attention, so tournament directors—and even spectators—start to get restless if they don’t see these champions. But Sinner and Alcaraz need to think about their future: if they want to have a very long career, they must be able to find a balance outside of tennis as well; otherwise, after two or three years, they’ll burn out and either quit or lose the desire to play,” Piatti pointed out.

Carlos Alcaraz, who has been out since Barcelona, announced his return at the U.S. Open after more than four months off. Sinner has been out since the Wimbledon final and, after withdrawing from the U.S. Open, hopes to return to the court for the Masters 1000 in China.

Former Italian national team captain Corrado Barazzutti commented on Sinner’s choice in the *Corriere della Sera*, defending his decision: “It’s a very difficult decision. It could have been another Grand Slam title to add to his trophy case, but clearly the injury is serious—he didn’t even try. Both as a player and as a coach, my stance has always been clear: you don’t mess around with injuries. An athlete knows when it’s best to stop.” Paolo Bertolucci is on the same page, saying he wasn’t surprised by the withdrawal: “Why should we be surprised? No one has seen him on a tennis court in a while. No training, just physical therapy. It wouldn’t make sense to show up at the US Open at less than 100 percent: it’s no joke—if you go, you have to be in top shape.”