Jannik Sinner: Venus Williams retorts to Andre Agassi's attack

Days have passed since Jannik Sinner’s elimination at Roland Garros, but the Azzurro’s knockout continues to spark discussion. The debate was rekindled after the words of Andre Agassi, who openly criticized the South Tyrolean’s preparation to TNT: “There are no excuses. Sinner’s elimination was a huge thing. I don’t know if it was highlighted enough. In last year’s final he was on the court over 5 hours, with Cerundolo he gave up after 1 hour and 45 minutes: there is a difference between being fit and being prepared. There is a flaw to be pointed out in the scheduling, something can be done about it.”

Another great American tennis star, Venus Williams, on the other hand, openly defended Sinner: “He has never won a match longer than 3 hours and 55 minutes, so what? He did everything else,” are the words reported by Bleacher Report.

“In my opinion it’s more of a fluke than a true statistic. Not only were there crazy conditions, but he faced them head-on: he never gave up, never left the field, never thought about stopping. Sinner not only handles victories well, but he faces defeats with composure.”

Boris Becker also intervened in the debate. The former German champion, interviewed by Corriere della Sera, sounded a real wake-up call, going beyond simply explaining the heat: “Only he knows the truth but, as an observer, I can’t help but notice that here in Paris it’s not the first time he’s been sick and, perhaps, not the last. I saw him suffer in the semifinals in Rome, where it was not hot. Unbelievable, for a player as fit as he is. With the humid heat, I know the problem: I’m fair-skinned like Jannik, we’re not people cut out for high temperatures… But at Roland Garros, with Cerundolo, it wasn’t scorching.”

“That’s why the justification of physical defaillance alone doesn’t convince me.” Becker then added a mental key: “Jannik has his mysteries, but it all starts in the head: if you have doubts, you don’t sleep well and then you play badly. Maybe there is something mentally bothering him.”