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Jannik Sinner prepares for redemption: strategy outlined

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The loss to Jakub Mensik in the quarterfinals of the Doha ATP 500 tournament marked the second stop of 2026 for Jannik Sinner, already coming off a loss to Novak Djokovic in the semifinals at the Australian Open. It was an empty passage that was surprising in its rarity, since the South Tyrolean’s march in the tournaments in which he had participated in the previous two years had been almost perfect. The answer to this slight downturn is in the hard training ahead of the upcoming, important engagements in March, for a strategy in practice already outlined.

The plan to raise his head again starts in the United States: Jannik Sinner will fly to Indian Wells for the first Masters 1000 of the season, kicking off next March 4, and then also participate in the next thousand-point tournament, the one in Miami, which will start instead on the 18th.

These are two events where Sinner can play without the pressure of ranking, having no points to defend compared to last year, although the eyes of fans will naturally be on him and the’current No. 1, Carlos Alcaraz.

Francesco LuciveroSpaniards rage on Jannik Sinner: Adriano Panatta goes wild

Jannik Sinner in crisis? Adriano Panatta doesn't mince 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"

What happens first in California and then in Florida could then impact the next three major events: the Madrid Masters 1000, the Internazionali d’Italia in Rome and Roland Garros. From a world ranking perspective, in Doha Sinner gained 100 points by climbing to 10,400, but Alcaraz responded by winning the tournament. For Jannik, however, the real advantage comes now: until the Internazionali d’Italia he has no scrap to defend and any result can bring him closer to the top.

The strategy devised for the coming months is clear: find his rhythm in the United States, consolidate his game on clay thereafter, and show up in Paris, for the only Slam tournament still missing from his trophy cabinet, in the best possible condition. Continuity will be the key to reopening the race to the top.

No alarm then, after the two 2026 defeats, just work for Jannik Sinner. The South Tyrolean knows firsthand that the moment is delicate, but he also knows that the calendar offers him the perfect opportunity to restart practically right away. So the path is set: turn the Doha setback into the first step toward redemption.

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