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Jannik Sinner, also from France attack: "It got into his head"

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After a framed 2025 with four Slam finals, Jannik Sinner&#8217s early 2026 difficulties create surprise and provoke criticism abroad as well. After venomous articles from Spain, analysis from the French is also arriving. Former transalpine tennis player Julien Benneteau traces everything back to Carlos Alcaraz.

“I think Carlos got into Sinner–s head, he told RMC -I don&#8217t think I have ever seen Alcaraz so strong. Today, meant as in late February, he is impressive and right now the Blue knows he can&#8217t beat him. I think Jannik is trying to evolve his game from Carlos”s, but Alcaraz is a much more complete version of Sinner”.

Luca FranzosiSpaniards rage against Jannik Sinner: Adriano Panatta goes wild

Jannik Sinner in crisis? Adriano Panatta isn't mincing words after Azure's unconvincing start to 2026
Sinner lost in the semifinals to Djokovic at the Australian Open and in the quarterfinals in Doha to Mensik
The South Tyrolean champion has been much criticized but Panatta defends him to the hilt on Domenica Sportiva
"Sinner in crisis? And who says that? Come on, no kidding!"
"He lost two matches, one with Djokovic who is a legend of the sport and one with a kid who is 20 years old and is number 16 in the world"
"Those who don’t know him think it was a defeat against a stranger and it really wasn’t"
So much criticism has come especially from Spain: according to Iberian newspapers Sinner is going through a crisis and has "hit rock bottom"
"Logical that now they are writing this" answered Panatta
"They would be pleased that it was so but I’m sorry to refute them: Jannik is not in crisis at all"
"The real tennis starts now with the two tournaments in America and then on clay in Europe and at Roland Garros"

"The difference between Sinner and Alcaraz can be seen only in Slam tournaments, only there we will know the truth although I am very confident"
"Has he accustomed us too well? Criticism comes from improvised technicians who overspeak and do not know what they are saying"

Benneteau however doesn’t believe Alcaraz will win forever: “I don’t think Alcaraz will win every match; he will probably lose some. At the same time I think Sinner will be able to beat him later in the season. Jannik suffered a setback after losing to Djokovic in the semifinals of the Australian Open and may be a little bit’less bright”.

The Alto Adige tennis player always remains a threat: “In the upcoming tournaments on American cement, the Indian Wells and Miami Masters 1000s, he will have to be reckoned with. He will not always lose in the quarterfinals. And let us not forget that before he started this season, it was Sinner who won against Alcaraz in the ATP Finals”.

The two could play each other again in Indian Wells, the first of the two U.S. Masters 1000s that the Blue had been forced to skip last season due to suspension over the Clostebol case. Sinner has never been able to beat Alcaraz in the past on those courts.

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