Last season, when Jannik Sinner led Italy to a second-straight Davis Cup title, he expressed his elation: “We are very happy to be back here holding this trophy.” Thanks to his heroics and the rest of the squad, Italy bested the Netherlands 2-0 to establish its supremacy at the event. This year, too, everyone was hoping for Sinner to be a part of the team and guide his country to a third-straight trophy. Sadly, it seems that too much tennis and the ATP schedule have taken a toll on the four-time Grand Slam champion.

The Italian has still managed to stamp his authority on the season with another milestone result at the Riyadh-based Six Kings Slam, where he claimed the staggering $6 million winner’s prize last week. The victory added another layer of momentum to what has already been a remarkable year for Sinner. Fellow player Casper Ruud even praised him in his post-title comments in Stockholm, placing him alongside Carlos Alcaraz as one of the players everyone on tour looks up to. These endorsements underline that even as fatigue sets in, the 24-year-old remains one of the most admired professionals in men’s tennis.

Sinner was seen struggling earlier this month at the Shanghai Masters. In his match against Tallon Griekspoor, he was forced to retire after suffering from cramps in his right leg. As a result, he had to take a momentary break for recovery. Soon, he returned to the court for the Six Kings Slam last week in Riyadh. After completing the exhibition event, he was expected to prepare for the Davis Cup next month. However, Sinner has decided to skip the tournament this time around.

Ahead of his ATP campaign in Vienna this week, Sinner explained his reason behind choosing not to be in Italy’s Davis Cup squad. “I’ve won the Davis Cup twice, my team and I decided this because the season at the end of the year is very long, and I need an extra week off to start training sooner,” he said during a media interaction before Austrian Open, as reported by TNT Sports on October 21. His focus seems to be on his title defense in Melbourne. “The goal is to get back on track in Australia, in the last two years, I haven’t been at the top because there was little time, so we made this decision – we’ll see.”

It will be the first time in the last five years that Sinner won’t be a part of Italy’s team. He has consistently appeared for his nation in 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024 editions.

Even Italy’s captain for the event, Filippo Volandri, made it evident while defending Sinner’s decision. “The Davis Cup is, and will remain, always his home and I am sure that Jannik will soon be part of the team again.” The decision came just hours after Spanish star Carlos Alcaraz confirmed his commitment to represent Spain in the Davis Cup Finals, a move that only heightened the contrast between the two. For Italian fans hoping for another high-profile clash between Sinner and Alcaraz on the international stage, the news brought disappointment.

In Italy, the reaction quickly turned contentious when national icon and two-time French Open champion Nicolo Pietrangeli criticized Sinner’s withdrawal. Speaking to Sky Sports, Pietrangeli remarked, “It’s a huge slap in the face for Italian sport. I don’t understand when you say it was a difficult choice. We’re talking about playing tennis, not going to war. When it comes to the Davis Cup, it’s about the ultimate; the goal of any athlete is to wear the blue jersey.” 

While Sinner may not be going to Bologna for the team-based tournament, the 24-year-old is in Vienna for another title defense.

Jannik Sinner looks to recreate the magic in Vienna

Back in 2019, he made his debut at the ATP 500 event in Vienna. The impact was low as he exited in R16. But in the subsequent editions, he only grew stronger.

In 2021’s edition, Sinner succeeded in entering the semis. The result also propelled him into the top 10 for the first time. He missed out on the final, though, after losing to America’s Frances Tiafoe. The next season, too, he showed a consistency as he made it to the QF round. But the best performance came during his 2023 campaign.

He went on to beat the likes of Ben Shelton, Frances Tiafoe, Andrey Rublev, and Daniil Medvedev to lift his maiden trophy in Vienna. In the summit clash, he bested Medvedev in a thrilling, three-hour-and-six-minute contest. With a scoreline of 7-6(7) 4-6 6-3, Sinner dominated the Russian ATP icon. “It took a lot of mental and physical stuff,” he admitted after the victory. “To finish the match was a really mental thing but I’m happy about how I managed it today.”

After skipping the tournament last year, it will be Jannik Sinner’s first appearance at the Vienna Open. He is set to kick off his journey against Germany’s Daniel Altmaier. It will be intriguing to see whether the Italian can defend his title from two years ago.