Santiago Bernabeu calls Jannik Sinner: flat no from the champion
Jannik Sinner needed only a simple consideration to make clear what he will need between now and a possible May 3 final in Madrid: on this surface he will have to push harder and play more aggressively. That is why, despite the allure of the venue, he has decided not to train at the Santiago Bernabeu, where a temporary court has been set up. Instead, he will continue working at the Caja Magica, to regain his rhythm and feeling for the tournament day by day. He will not change his approach even seeing the scoreboard open, with several seeded players already eliminated, including Shelton. Finally, it remains to be understood the impact of Alcaraz’s absence, which makes him the main favorite in the following tournaments as well.
The next obstacle on the Italian’s path will be Danish qualifier Elmer Moller, number 169 in the world rankings, who has already shown that he is comfortable on clay. The one in Madrid will be their first career confrontation on the major circuit, with the head-to-head record standing at 0-0. For Moller, it will also be his first ever match against a top 10 player, and directly against the world number 1: a fascinating challenge for the Dane, but one that on paper clearly smiles on Sinner.
The Madrid journey of the South Tyrolean started with some difficulties in the opener against Frenchman Benjamin Bonzi, qualified world number 104. Sinner initially struggled to adapt to the special conditions of the Caja Magica, where the altitude makes the ball travel faster and the bounces are higher than at other clay tournaments. After surrendering the first set in a tie-break, however, he found his rhythm and closed the file in 2 hours and 20 minutes with a score of 6-7(6), 6-1, 6-4. This is his 18th consecutive victory on the circuit and 23rd in the Masters 1000.
In terms of ranking, Alcaraz’s absence weighs significantly. The Spaniard, who has also officially announced a forfeit for the Internazionali d’Italia and Roland Garros due to his right wrist injury, will not be able to defend the 3,000 points he won between Rome and Paris last season. The recovery time remains uncertain: according to Dr. Marc Juvenspan, a specialist surgeon surveyed by L’Équipe, it would likely be an ECU tendinitis or TFCC injury, with recovery “lasting three weeks to six months, or even longer.” In the worst-case scenario, Alcaraz could also skip Wimbledon, aiming straight for the season on American cement.
For Sinner, then, an extraordinary window opens. Roland Garros is the stated goal of the season, being the only Slam he still lacks to complete the Career Grand Slam. Without his main rival, the South Tyrolean will be able to approach the Paris campaign with a different kind of pressure, as a genuine benchmark on the circuit. First, however, there is Madrid: a tournament he skipped last year and which now represents an additional opportunity to extend his streak of five consecutive Masters 1000s, a milestone no one in tennis history has ever achieved.
