ROME.- The number one in world tennis, Jannik Sinneropened up about the physical problems that have prevented him from competing since his title in Wimbledon in July: “The body is the only adversary I cannot defeat.”
Sinner, 25, had to prematurely end his 2026 season after the grand slam Londoner due to tendinopathy and inflammation around the iliotibial band in his right knee.
The injuries meant a hard stop for the Italian, who before his break had won five Masters 1000 consecutive (Indian Wells, Miami, Monte Carlo, Madrid, Rome).
“Patience is the right word for this period. The body is the only adversary that I cannot defeat: when it tells you enough, you have to accept it and follow the advice of specialists,” Sinner told La Repubblica newspaper’s U magazine.
“Injuries are part of sport, you have to be intelligent and understand how much and when to play. You have to have a long-term vision: there is not only today, now we sow, but the harvest comes at another time. And the difference is always the work, the preparation you do, not luck. Luck helps you win a point, not the game,” continued the Italian star.
The European star, who before the end of the year will lose his position as world number one at the hands of the German Alexander Zverev could return to the courts in an exhibition tournament in December in Saudi Arabia.
During this forced break, Sinner attended the Formula 1 Italian Grand Prix in monzaas well as a fashion show of the house Gucci.
Rivalry with Alcaraz
In the interview he also spoke about his rivalry with the Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz.
“Maybe they see me as the disciplined and stubborn champion, and Carlos as the Mediterranean and extravagant. That’s the beautiful thing, having someone who pushes you to the limit,” he said.
“Tennis has always fed on that: from Borg-McEnroe to Sampras-Agassi, until the moment when the rivalry between two became a rivalry between three with Federer-Nadal-Djokovic,” he noted.
