Jannik Sinner has been near-perfect in 2026, but there is one glaring worry for the World No 1 across the season.
The Italian completely capitulated in the second round of Roland Garros and it cost him his very first Grand Slam at the Paris tournament.
Sinner was two sets and a break up against Juan Manuel Cerundolo when he completely lost his way, from what looked like a combination of heat exhaustion and fatigue issues.
The World No 1 had played a lot of tennis on the European clay court swing, winning Monte Carlo, Madrid, and Rome back-to-back, but it was still a major concern for Sinner.
He bounced back beautifully at Wimbledon to win the title for a second consecutive year, which makes his issues at Roland Garros even stranger.
His coach, Simone Vagnozzi, has finally revealed his thoughts on the matter in a new interview with Corriere della Sera.
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Asked what the issues behind Sinner’s capitulation were, Vagnozzi responded: “I don’t think there’s a single cause; many small things, when combined, can lead to these small slumps, but let’s remember that there have been four in the last five years.
“These guys aren’t robots. Heat, fatigue, and tension can all combine. The temperature in Paris was prohibitive, and he arrived there under significant physical and mental stress.
“In short, there’s no single factor; in that case, it would be easier for us to correct it. We have to live with these episodes, working to avoid them. There can be a strong, stupid player. But there can never be a stupid champion.”
Sinner might have bounced back from his early Roland Garros exit, but it is still clearly lingering in his mind.
The star has opted not to play the Canadian Open to begin his North American swing, despite the fact he has played little tennis over the summer.
The star’s appearance at Wimbledon was his only competitive tennis action since the 28th May, when he was dispatched by Cerundolo at the French Open.
That means Sinner has played just seven matches in two months, so he is surely fresh enough to compete at the Canadian Open.
The star is clearly being selective with the tournaments he plays after his gruelling time on the clay court swing.
If Sinner is able to win the US Open for the first time since 2024, his decision will surely be the right one.
Sinner’s next tournament is now expected to be the Cincinnati Open, which is set to begin on August 13th. The Italian reached the final of the tournament in 2025.
The post Jannik Sinner’s coach says what critics misunderstand about his fatigue issues appeared first on Tennis365.
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