Jannik Sinner Falls Victim to a Gaffe: Criticism Aimed at the Australian Open Director

Jannik Sinner was the unwitting victim of a gaffe during a press conference held by the new director of the Australian Open, Andrew Abdo. During his presentation, the executive repeatedly referred to the world No. 1 as “Jacob Sinner.” The unfortunate slip-up drew several jabs and rebukes on social media.

Later, Abdo backtracked: “Of course, I know it’s Jannik Sinner,” he said after revealing that the champion from Sesto, who is recovering from a knee injury, has agreed to participate in the One Point Slam tournament to be held before the Grand Slam.

Abdo had been criticized in recent days for considering the idea of turning the Australian Open into a best-of-three-sets tournament—a proposal he later denied. “It’s important that fans have a great experience, that the lines are manageable, and that fans see what they actually want to see—namely, tennis,” Abdo said at a press conference.

The One Point Slam is a single-elimination tournament with 48 participants, in which each match is decided by a single point: players use rock-paper-scissors to determine who serves, and the winner advances while the loser is immediately eliminated. The prize money totals one million Australian dollars, approximately 564,000 euros. The format allows for the participation of both professionals and amateurs, with ten spots allocated through a qualifying system involving Australian tennis clubs. The previous edition of the tournament had already delivered some sensational upsets: Sinner was eliminated by an Australian amateur, Jordan Smith, after hitting a serve into the net, while Carlos Alcaraz was knocked out after losing a rally to Greece’s Maria Sakkari.

Sinner’s willingness to participate in the event comes at a delicate time for the South Tyrolean champion, who has announced the early end of his 2026 season to devote himself fully to the treatment of his knee. The goal is to be 100% ready for the Australian Open.