Nowadays, Jannik Sinner is known as the ice-cold killer who defeats his opponents with surgical precision and minimal fuss.
And, whilst that has been the case for the bulk of his professional career, in his earlier years there were a few more moments of controversy than we have come to see nowadays from him.
Naturally, they were still few and far between, but perhaps one of the most intriguing actually came after he had beaten Alexander Zverev back in 2020.
Following the match, the German had complained of feeling ill and dizzy, thus contributing to his loss to a teenage Jannik Sinner.
Offering his own assessment of these claims, Sinner did not hold back.
Jannik Sinner’s spiky reply after beating Alexander Zverev in 2020
He began with context, admitting: “I respect him a lot because he’s won more than me, he’s got more experience on the circuit, and he’s a great player.”
But that respect only goes so far, and it was clear that Sinner felt like Zverev’s suggestion somehow belittled the manner of his victory.
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He continued: ”However, I do not respect his statements after his defeat to me at Roland Garros. He contradicted himself a lot.
“He said he had a fever, but in the third and fourth sets, he ran more than me.
“It seems to me that he was looking for an excuse after his defeat. Federer or Nadal, for example, would never have said such things.”
Sinner would later lose to Rafael Nadal in the fourth round, who went on to lift the title.
Jannik Sinner now needs the Roland Garros title to create history
Sinner, at Roland Garros next year, will hope to achieve what Carlos Alcaraz did earlier this year at the Australian Open.
After all, after winning last year’s Wimbledon title, the Italian claimed three of the four available majors. All that is left is the French Open.
He had his first crack at completing the Career Grand Slam this year, and despite Alcaraz’s absence through injury, he fell in spectacular fashion in just the second round.
Given the fact that Darren Cahill is expected to stay coaching Sinner until Roland Garros, it feels like they are earmarking next year as the time to create personal history and join his great generational rival in an elite group.
