Jannik Sinner’s US Open Opponent Fumes at Chair Umpire Over Controversial Decision

In a much-anticipated third-round showdown at the 2025 US Open, defending champion and World No. 1 Jannik Sinner went up against a revitalized Denis Shapovalov on Arthur Ashe Stadium. This match turned out to be a rematch of their 2021 Australian Open battle, where the Canadian emerged victorious in a thrilling five-set match. Sinner had a strong start, winning his first two matches without losing a set, and came in as the favorite. However, Shapovalov was ready to give him a tough time with his aggressive play and newfound confidence.

The match had a bit of extra tension because of Shapovalov’s earlier comments about how Sinner’s 2024 doping case was handled, which really upset the Italian fans. However, Shapovalov later explained that he was actually talking about the need for consistency in the sport’s rules, not directly targeting Sinner.

During the intense battle, a key moment happened late in the first set when Shapovalov, trying to hold his serve, got called for a foot fault by a line judge. The Canadian, using his strong serve and bold baseline game to put pressure on Jannik Sinner, quickly challenged the call.

According to The Tennis Letter on X, Shapovalov engaged in a heated exchange with the chair umpire, demanding to see a replay and expressing frustration: “I haven’t gotten one foot fault. I come here and I get a foot fault. I want to see the replay.” The umpire responded firmly, “Denis it was the right foot,” to which Shapovalov retorted sarcastically, “Of course it was.”

The showdown really highlighted the mental pressures that come with high-stakes Grand Slam matches, especially for Shapovalov. He’s been pretty open about the mental hurdles he’s faced while bouncing back from injury and how tough it can be to maintain confidence, especially early on in his career. His push to review the call shows a bigger trend in tennis where players are leaning more on technology for confirmation, even though foot faults are still mostly decided by officials instead of automated systems.

This moment really highlighted Shapovalov’s intense style on the court. His passion often leads to some heated exchanges with officials, just like we’ve seen in previous tournaments. However, how was Sinner feeling before heading to the US Open?

Jannik Sinner’s confession after a troubling end to the Cincinnati Open

During his pre-tournament press conference, Jannik Sinner shared his excitement and relief about returning, describing the US Open as “a great tournament” and emphasizing its importance as the last Grand Slam of the year. Even though he had some health issues that made him pull out of the Cincinnati final, he mentioned, “Physically I feel good. I have recovered mostly, not 100% yet, but we are aiming to be there in couple of days. So should be all fine for the tournament.”

Sinner talked about the special challenges he faces while trying to defend his title at Flushing Meadows. The Italian tennis star highlighted how little things—like whether it’s a day or night match, long drives from the city, and the timing as the season wraps up—can really impact performance. He said, “We are heading towards end of the season, so some players, they are tired. Some players, they are feeling different. Many things can change. It’s also the last big trophy of the year. I feel like here it changes a lot if you play night or if you play day. There are many, many small things at this Grand Slam makes a difference.”

With the world No. 1 stepping into the US Open, Jannik Sinner and his ongoing rivalry with Carlos Alcaraz have really taken center stage in men’s tennis this year. Sincaraz, as they’re known together, have really taken over the Grand Slams. Right now, Sinner is focused on defending his title and maybe even holding onto that No. 1 ranking.