Jannik Sinner, Adriano Panatta Gets Serious

A more serious-than-usual Adriano Panatta commented on the injury situation in tennis during an appearance on *Domenica Sportiva*. The 2026 ATP Tour has been marked by numerous physical setbacks, with top-ranked players Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz forced to miss several high-profile tournaments.

“We need to be very careful, because injuries have more than doubled,” warned Panatta, who pointed the finger at modern tennis. “Today’s tennis players, whether in the lower or upper body, play in a truly intense manner and must always hit the ball with great force. They’re always going at 200 per hour.”

“A single tournament today, in terms of physical and mental exertion, is equivalent to two of the ones we played in my day, so they’re forced to adjust their schedules,” Panatta continued. “But injuries keep piling up—to the arm, the back, and every joint. This isn’t right.”

While Carlos Alcaraz, after being sidelined for more than four months, now seems to have recovered from his wrist injury, Jannik Sinner is grappling with knee problems that have forced him to skip the tournaments in Montreal, Cincinnati, the U.S. Open, and now Beijing. The Italian has resumed training in Monte Carlo to get back into top form, but a specific date for his return has not yet been set.