Ever since Jannik Sinner’s inner fire first lit up, fans have loved him for his energy on the court. And maybe that same fire is exactly why he made the choice to skip the Davis Cup Finals in Bologna this November. Yep, he’s taking a break, and as soon as he announced it, the reaction was… intense. Headlines blared. Fans flooded social media. Even Italian tennis legends weighed in. “It wasn’t an easy decision,” Sinner said, but that didn’t stop critics from framing it as a betrayal of his country. Still, not everyone is against him – the French tennis coach has come out openly supporting him

Some newspapers even ran front-page stories making it sound like he’d committed a crime. Even Italian former tennis player Nicola Pietrangeli didn’t hold back: “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… The goal of any athlete is to wear the blue jersey.” Ouch. That kind of criticism would sting anyone. Fans naturally weighed in online. Some were disappointed, some frustrated, some angry. “He only cares about himself?” they asked. “He should be embarrassed!” But here’s the thing, Sinner is human. And that’s what Patrick Mouratoglou wants us to understand.

“Leave Jannik Sinner alone,” Patrick Mouratoglou recently wrote in a LinkedIn post. He wanted everyone to understand that top athletes need to be able to make their own decisions. But, Mouratoglou didn’t stop there, either.

As he further added, “I’ve read that he might even skip Paris to focus on the ATP Finals, even if that no longer seems to be relevant today, based on his latest quote in Vienna. And yes, to some people, that sounds shocking, especially when you see him play an exhibition but not a Masters 1000 or the Davis Cup. But let’s take a step back. I actually think it’s a good thing… For too long, tennis players have been living under a mandatory schedule. But players aren’t machines. They know their bodies…” To put it another way, this is self-awareness, not laziness.

He added context by saying that the Davis Cup is a demanding competition. Yes, it is beautiful, but it is also emotionally and physically draining, particularly when you are bearing the hopes of your nation. Mouratoglou said. “It’s one of the hardest events in the sport, especially when you’re your country’s No. 1, and the pressure of victory sits on your shoulders.”

So yes, fans might feel disappointed. They wanted their champion to give everything for the home crowd. But as Mouratoglou further added, “I understand the disappointment of Italian fans. But I also understand Jannik’s decision. He’s earned the right to choose what’s best for him, and that should be respected.” Sinner’s choice? It’s smart, human, and brave. That same inner fire we all admire? It’s still there, he’s just making sure it can keep burning for the long run. And honestly, that’s something we should all respect. Because truth be told, Jannik Sinner isn’t new to this kind of criticism.

Jannik Sinner keeps winning, keeps fighting, and still somehow ends up the villain

Jannik Sinner has learned to live under the spotlight’s heat. But what makes him special is how he never lets that pressure spill onto the court. The 24-year-old Italian is currently leading the 2025 Vienna Open draw in Vienna. He easily defeated Flavio Cobolli (6-2, 7-6(4)), Alexander Bublik (6-4, 6-4), and Daniel Altmaier (6-0, 6-2), securing a semifinal matchup with Alex de Minaur. In the final, the victor will take on either Corentin Moutet, Lorenzo Musetti, or Alexander Zverev. But while Sinner quietly gets the job done between the lines, outside the court, it’s chaos – all because he decided to skip the Davis Cup.

Ironically, this comes right after one of the best weeks of his career. He just pocketed $6 million at the Six Kings Slam in Saudi Arabia, then flew straight to Austria for the Vienna Open without missing a beat. That is the stuff of dreams for the majority of players. Somehow, it turned into a storm for Sinner. Not to mention that his body hasn’t exactly been kind to him this season. He had to withdraw from the Cincinnati Open final in August due to a high fever and a virus. Then, in intense humidity and thigh cramps, he left the Shanghai Masters in the middle of the match in October. The noise never stops, even though the season is long and the body has its limits. Nevertheless, Jannik Sinner continues to play, to win, and to let his tennis speak for itself.