Jannik Sinner’s Struggles on the Court
Jannik Sinner, the world No.1, was seen vomiting on the court and grimacing before his Italian Open semi-final against Daniil Medvedev was suspended in the third set. The match, which had been a thrilling contest, saw Sinner initially take control, establishing a 4-0 lead over Medvedev. The Italian was looking to extend his record-breaking streak of 32 consecutive wins in ATP Masters 1000 matches.
Sinner started strong, winning the first set 6-2. However, during the second set, he appeared to be physically hampered. Despite battling back to get back on serve against an improving Medvedev from 3-0 down, Sinner showed visible signs of struggle. The 24-year-old was seen vomiting by the side of the court and frequently leaned on his racket after points. He also grimaced after taking his seat at the changeovers.
Medvedev maintained the pressure on Sinner and eventually broke to win the second set 7-5. The drama continued in the third set, with Sinner receiving a medical timeout after breaking serve to take a 3-2 lead. Medvedev questioned the medical timeout with chair umpire Aurelie Tourte, suggesting that Sinner was receiving special treatment for cramps.
The physio had been seen rubbing Sinner’s leg, while the Italian was seen drinking pickle juice, which is known for helping with cramps. Under ATP rules, players are not allowed treatment for cramping as it is considered an issue of conditioning rather than an injury.
Jamie Murray, commentating on Sky Sports, agreed with Medvedev’s complaints but admitted the rule is regularly exploited by players. “He is getting treated for cramp essentially, he’s getting his quads massaged,” Murray said. “It happens a lot, obviously, I don’t agree with it personally. He’s getting his other quad massaged now, so it’s a tough one to explain that you have got two injured quads and it’s not cramp while you’re sipping on your pickle juice. Players exploit that every week, it’s not a unique situation. Medvedev knows what is up. Paul Ness, the ATP physio, knows what is up as well.”
Rain prevented Sinner and Medvedev from completing the semi-final on Friday night, with play suspended with the Russian holding advantage on his serve at 4-2 down in the set. The winner will face Casper Ruud in the final, after the Norwegian thrashed Italy’s Luciano Darderi 6-1, 6-1 in the first semi-final.
Sinner is looking to become just the second man after Novak Djokovic to complete the ‘Golden Masters’, with the Italian Open being the last of the nine Masters 1000 events he needs to win. Sinner has won the last five Masters 1000 events and will head into the French Open as the clear favorite amid Carlos Alcaraz’s absence through injury.
Medvedev will be seeking to deny him a place in the Italian Open final when their match resumes, with the 30-year-old seeking his second title in Rome.
