Jannik Sinner’s decision to sit out Davis Cup criticized at home in Italy

ROME (AP) — Jannik Sinner’s decision not to play for host Italy in the Davis Cup Final 8 is being met with a sense of abandonment in his home country — where he was fiercely defended during his doping case earlier this year.

The second-ranked Sinner, who led Italy to tennis’ biggest team trophy the past two years, said that he prefers to prepare for next season instead of helping the Azzurri aim for another title in Bologna next month.

“It wasn’t an easy decision, but after Turin (where the ATP Finals are played the week before the Davis Cup), the goal is to start off on the right foot in Australia,” Sinner said, referring to the Australian Open, where he is the two-time defending champion.

“It doesn’t seem like it, but a week of preparation in that period can make a difference,” Sinner told Sky Italia on Monday from Vienna, where he is playing this week. “We already won the Davis Cup in 2023 and 2024 and this time we decided like this with my team.”

The front-page headline in Tuesday’s Gazzetta dello Sport translated to: “Sinner, think it over again.”

An accompanying editorial in the Gazzetta took Sinner to task for saying he already won the Davis Cup twice, pointing out how he also defended his title over the weekend in a lucrative exhibition in Saudi Arabia.

“So you’re not going to return to Riyadh for another $6 million? If you win another Wimbledon, you won’t go to London anymore? Pasta, coffee … Every five minutes you promote an Italian product. Do it with tennis, too,” the Gazzetta editorial said, referring to the multiple Italian brands that Sinner represents in TV and other advertisements.

Added 92-year-old Nicola Pietrangeli, a two-time French Open winner who was Italy’s most successful player until Sinner came along: “It’s a big slap in the face to the Italian sports world.”

Italians widely defended Sinner when he was hit with a three-month doping ban in February, while other top players insinuated that he received preferential treatment because of his high status and the time frame of the ban meant that he didn’t miss any Grand Slam tournaments.

On the front page of Corriere della Sera, another critical editorial translated Sinner’s first name to “Gianni,” harkening back to the days nearly a century ago when Germanic towns were forced to adopt Italian names under fascist dictator Benito Mussolini.

Sinner has faced discrimination

It’s not the first time that Sinner has been criticized for not representing Italy. It happened when he didn’t play Davis Cup in 2023 and it happened when he didn’t play in the Paris Olympics a year later.

Sinner grew up in the German-speaking autonomous province of Alto Adige in northern Italy and has also faced an underlying sentiment that he’s not fully Italian.

Just last month, an Italian rapper was accused of inciting racial hatred for publishing musical lyrics saying that Sinner speaks with “Adolf Hitler’s accent.” Fedez, the rapper, later apologized.

Panatta defends Sinner

Adriano Panatta, who led Italy to its only other Davis Cup triumph in 1976, defended Sinner’s choice, noting how the team competition is not considered as important as it was in his playing days.

“Today’s tennis requires players to have complete devotion. The players are like CEOs of companies that carry their names,” Panatta wrote in Corriere della Sera. “Sinner has won the Davis Cup twice and now he needs a break to gear up for his main goals: winning Slams, playing up to (Carlos) Alcaraz’s level, reclaiming No. 1. Those are his priorities.”

Paolo Bertolucci, who also played on the 1976 team and is now a TV commentator, agreed with Panatta.

“I don’t see anything wrong with the decision,” Bertolucci told the Gazzetta. “Tennis has changed. Today what counts are the four Slams and then the ATP Finals. The rest is side stuff.”

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