“Jannik [Sinner] has learned to know himself perfectly and is thus able to show up to every event in top physical and mental condition,” former Italian Davis Cup champion Paolo Bertolucci had said a few months ago, praising Jannik Sinner’s careful scheduling. After conquering Wimbledon, Sinner skipped the Canadian Open for extra rest, returned in Cincinnati, and later reached the US Open final. Yet, the post–US Open stretch turned uneasy, despite his China Open triumph, cramps forced him out of the Shanghai Masters. Now in Saudi Arabia to defend his Six Kings Slam crown, Sinner faces fresh scrutiny, as Bertolucci contrasts him with Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz, suggesting he lacks their unbreakable resilience.

Reflecting on Jannik Sinner’s early exit in Shanghai, former Italian Davis Cup winner Paolo Bertolucci didn’t hold back. The veteran analyst lamented what he saw as a missed opportunity for the four-time major champion, suggesting that Sinner’s body is yet to reach the unyielding durability of Novak Djokovic or Carlos Alcaraz. “It’s a shame because Sinner had a great chance in this tournament,” Bertolucci said, as collected by Tennis 365 from Sky Sport Italia. “The boy is a bit frail. Once he had cramps, once his stomach, once his elbow, and then the blisters and his hip. In short, it’s starting to feel like a lot of things,” he later added.

Bertolucci didn’t stop there. He underlined a painful truth, that physical consistency remains the one gap separating Sinner from the sport’s titans. “He doesn’t have the same physical consistency as Djokovic or Alcaraz, this seems obvious to me by now, it’s not surprising. But we shouldn’t worry too much either. I repeat, in this tragedy, we have the world number 2.” 

The former world No. 12 also questioned Sinner’s packed schedule late in the season, particularly his decision to appear at the China Open in Beijing. “All this in a month and a half,” Bertolucci remarked. “I wonder, is this tour de force really necessary? Was there really a need to go to Beijing? I know the answer: the points, the ranking, the number one… And who cares about all this, you don’t include it?” His tone dripped with concern, and perhaps frustration, at a young champion pushing himself into exhaustion.

“It’s true that Sinner had a shortened season due to the stupid doping ban,” Bertolucci added, “but the underlying issue doesn’t change.” Those words carried weight, a reminder that even with forced rest, the body can only take so much punishment before it rebels.

Sinner’s withdrawal from his Shanghai match told the story itself. Trailing Tallon Griekspoor 2–3 in the third set, he was visibly struggling. After a grueling second set that stretched him to his limits, cramps took over. His movement faltered, his face grimaced, and after losing serve in the fifth game, he made the difficult decision to retire.

The conditions didn’t help either. With Shanghai’s suffocating humidity and searing heat, Sinner became one of seven players who failed to finish their matches that week. Yet, for him, the statistic came with a bitter footnote: he became the first defending champion in Masters 1000 history to retire mid-match on multiple occasions.

It wasn’t the first time either. In Cincinnati, only weeks prior, Sinner had retired at 0–5 down against Carlos Alcaraz in the final, another cruel twist of fate for the reigning champion. For someone once hailed as tennis’s iron-willed prodigy, the sight of him bowing to his body twice in such quick succession was striking.

On the other side of the coin stood Novak Djokovic, who, too, had his own battles with the body in Shanghai. The 38-year-old Serb was seen calling for the physio multiple times before bowing out to world No. 204 Valentin Vacherot. Earlier, he endured a two-hour, 41-minute war against Jaume Munar, taking a medical timeout for a leg injury.

Or even Carlos Alcaraz, who stunned the crowd into silence when he collapsed to the court just 20 minutes into his match, clutching his left ankle. Yet, showing trademark grit, the Spaniard battled through the pain to secure a commanding 6-4, 6-2 victory against Sebastian Baez and advance to the second round of the Japan Open, a tournament he ultimately went on to win.

Now, with the Six Kings Slam returning for its second edition on Wednesday, Sinner has had time to heal. He steps into Saudi Arabia not just to defend his crown but to rewrite the narrative, one that paints him as fragile. 

Despite the scrutiny, the Italian’s resilience burns on, shaped by Shanghai’s pain and forged in the fires of his own physical trials.

Patrick Mouratoglou defends Jannik Sinner after Shanghai retirement

Jannik Sinner was already behind Tallon Griekspoor when his body began to betray him. Fans watched with growing concern as he limped to his seat, the effort etched across his face. Yet, amid the sympathy, a section of spectators questioned his integrity, claiming he might have faked the issue. After all, he wasn’t leading. It was an unfair and illogical accusation, one that needed a strong voice to defend the Italian.

Enter Patrick Mouratoglou, Serena Williams’ former coach, who didn’t hesitate to set the record straight. “Some said he did it on purpose. No… what Sinner had to endure was brutal — a classic example of what it’s like to play in extreme humidity,” Mouratoglou wrote in an Instagram reel.

“To explain Sinner’s cramps, there is only one word: Humidity,” he added. “[Taylor] Fritz had the same problem. We saw Novak Djokovic throw up twice.”

With Mouratoglou’s backing, Sinner now steps onto the court at the Six Kings Slam. Can he silence the critics, prove the doubters wrong, and make his mark on the event? 

The stage is set, the air thick, and the challenge is raw.