Toni Nadal Reveals Jannik Sinner’s Real Problem—But He Has the Solution

Jannik Sinner needs to take a break to get back on track. The decision to end his season early brings the issue of injury management in modern tennis back into the spotlight—a sport increasingly shaped by the intensity of rallies and the speed of play. Toni Nadal, uncle and former coach of Rafael Nadal—a champion who had to cope with physical problems for a long time during his career before winning 22 Grand Slam titles—focuses on a specific aspect.

In Toni Nadal’s analysis for *La Gazzetta dello Sport*, Sinner’s posture and the way he moves on the court deserve special attention. “Sinner is a player who stays very low on his legs; he bends his knees a lot,” he explains. This technical characteristic allows the Italian to seek balance, speed, and precision in his movements, but, according to Nadal, it can also subject his body to repeated stress.

““When you run that much, every time you come to a stop there’s a continuous impact that eventually wears you down,” observes the Spanish coach, pointing to the repetition of movements and changes in direction as one of the factors to consider. “When you play at this speed, there’s always some sudden movement, and that’s how injuries happen.”

This line of reasoning extends to the characteristics of modern tennis, in which players are required to reach high speeds, brake abruptly, and accelerate again in a very short time. According to Toni Nadal, hard courts and the speed of the ball also contribute to increasing the strain on the body. “The impact on the body is constant,” he emphasizes, going so far as to suggest considering possible changes to the game: “I say it’s time to slow down, perhaps by using smaller rackets that prevent players from hitting the ball so hard.”