Jannik Sinner is reshaping his approach to physical preparation after his surprising exit at the French Open, where he faced health challenges during a match. Rather than reducing his workload, Sinner has opted for extended training sessions without breaks, aiming to improve his performance on the court.
The Italian tennis star shared his new training regimen during a press conference at Wimbledon, where he is set to begin his defense of the singles title. His first match is against Miomir Kecmanovic, with temperatures expected to be around 25 C (77 F).
With Carlos Alcaraz unable to compete due to a wrist injury, Sinner emerges as the top contender at the grass-court tournament. Reflecting on his French Open experience, Sinner took a week off for health assessments, all of which returned positive results, before resuming his intensified practice schedule.
Sinner, who has previously struggled with heat-related issues, emphasized the need to practice in warmer conditions due to the increasing global temperatures. “We need to practice in hotter conditions. I feel like everywhere where we play is going to be very hot. Every year is getting warmer and warmer. It is a very important topic,” he noted.
During the French Open, Sinner led his second-round match against Juan Manuel Cerundolo but ultimately lost after experiencing dizziness in the heat. He acknowledged the absence of a quick solution, stating, “We are happy at the moment with what we are doing. The result we’re not going to see here. It’s a long process. There’s no magic behind it.”
Skipping Warm-Up Tournaments
Sinner deliberately chose not to participate in any warm-up tournaments ahead of Wimbledon. He explained, “If you play a tournament before here, maybe it’s not going the way you would like to, you come here with some doubts. If you don’t play any tournament, you don’t have these doubts, you just go and play.”
Reflecting on past experiences, Sinner mentioned his early exit in Halle last year, which was followed by a successful run at Wimbledon, where he defeated the two-time champion, Alcaraz, in the final.
Wimbledon Champion Perks
As a Wimbledon champion, Sinner has earned a membership at the All England Club, a privilege he cherishes. “It’s a great honor for me. As I’ve always said, it’s the best tournament we have, the most prestigious, and so having this thing for my whole life is very, very nice,” he expressed, acknowledging that its full value might be appreciated more once he retires.
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AP Sports Writer Andrew Dampf in Rome contributed.
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AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis
