Jannik Sinner-Rafa Nadal alliance shakes up tennis: "I am grateful"

Just hours after the publication of the ’interview with Rafa Nadal by ‘L’Equipe’, Jannik Sinner responded directly to the words of the Majorcan, on the sidelines of today&#8217s training ahead of the Roland Garros opener against Arthur Rinderknech. In particular, Sinner was very appreciative that one of the legends of tennis history openly spoke out in his favor by commenting on the events of the past year.

“What Rafa Nadal said was good for me and helps me, because he knows what I am like as a person and as a sportsman– explained the current world No. 1 -I was pleased that he spoke like that: he is an important personality not only in our sport, he is honest and he is exactly as we see him on television”.

In the interview with the French sports daily, Nadal had said he was “absolutely convinced that Jannik never meant to cheat”. The Roland Garros record-holder (as many as 14 finals won in Paris) had then added: “When there&#8217s so much noise from this point of view it&#8217s bad for everyone, including tennis, but I am sure Jannik has been going through hell for a year. I trust him”.

Jannik Sinner showed on his return from a three-month suspension that he has not lost the polish of his best days, so much so that he captured his best result at the Internazionali d’Italia, reaching the final where he was beaten by Carlos Alcaraz. As the top two seed, Sinner and Alcaraz could meet again in the final, this time on the Philippe-Chatrier stage.