Here’s what Jannik Sinner said that made Daniil Medvedev’s match stop after an official complaint
Jannik Sinner was heard asking umpire Aurelie Tourte to stop the Italian Open semi-final on Friday, even though he had just taken a break lead in the final set against Daniil Medvedev.
With the match tied at one set each, the exciting battle was paused because of heavy rain. Sinner was ahead 4-2 in the third set when the rain started.
The decision to stop the match caused mixed reactions. Medvedev, who had complained about Sinner getting treatment for cramps, wanted to keep playing despite the wet court. On the other hand, a tired Sinner was eager to pause the game. “It’s pouring!” he said to the umpire.
Medvedev added, “It’s raining buckets,” but when he got no response, he said, “What do you mean? The lines are slippery, what if I slip? I can decide, but it’s raining buckets!”
The umpire told Sinner, “If the court is good, we play,” but soon after, she decided to stop the match until further notice.
As the match went on, Sinner looked very tired. He kept leaning on his racquet and was struggling to catch his breath during breaks. Videos from the Foro Italico court sparked concern online.
Tennis writer Pavvy G shared, “Something is really wrong. If you care about Sinner, you should be worried. This isn’t normal for such a fit 24-year-old athlete. We see this often now, and it seems risky for his health.”
At one point, medical staff treated Sinner’s thigh while he showed clear signs of pain, but Medvedev wasn’t very understanding and complained to Tourte. “When we call the physio for cramps, we don’t get fined?” he asked. According to ATP rules, players aren’t allowed medical timeouts for cramps since they’re seen as a fitness issue, not an injury.
On Saturday, Sinner won the match with a 6-2, 5-7, 6-4 victory to reach the Italian Open final, where he’ll face Casper Ruud on Sunday.
“I’m glad to finally finish the match, and now it’s starting to rain again,” he joked. “It was a tough challenge. Normally, I sleep fine, but not last night. Even though the third set was almost done, you still have to stay focused because anything can happen. I’m happy with how I handled it.”
Sinner added, “Casper is playing even better tennis now. Every week is different, even when you play the same people. This tournament means a lot to me and all Italians. I just want to do my best.”