Jannik Sinner materialized at Roland Garros and jubilation exploded on social media: Jannik seemed calm and even if he didn’t push to the max during the almost hour and a half of training he will be at the starting line of the French Open: the official announcement will arrive on Friday in the press conference but in the meantime his agent anticipated it.
Great news for the multitudes of fans that Sinner now includes not only in Italy: especially because, as has already emerged after the latest tests, his right hip has no injuries that could cause pain that could become chronic and therefore the rest of the season ( and career) should be safe.
However, the question that many are asking is another: given the chances of Sinner becoming number 1 in the world after the Parisian Slam they are anyway very high (it’s enough that Djokovic doesn’t win in Geneva and doesn’t reach the semi-final if he wins the Swiss tournament instead) who makes him get stuck in the very tiring Bois de Boulogne tournament? He could rest and show up in Halle to start the grass season in the best conditions: at Wimbledon he will defend the 2023 semi-final points while in Paris he will essentially lose nothing given that last year he went out in the second round at the hands of Altmaier. There is an answer and it concerns the season as a whole. Sinner today finds himself in conditions that are difficult to repeat between now and December to become number 1 in the world: a fact not only of prestige which, presumably, would bring him even higher income from his sponsors. The only one to prevent his rise would be Djokovic if the Geneva-Paris situations occurred.
Alcaraz is returning after a long stop. And therefore for Jannik it is better not to risk it. And above all: in the second part of the season, from August onwards, Sinner will defend a lot of points and in those circumstances it will already be a lot if he equals what he achieved last year. On the other hand, his opponents will be able to easily improve and this could make the rise to the throne of the red of Sesto Pusteria extremely difficult. This is why playing at Roland Garros represents for the blue not a whim or the fruit of an anxiety to conquer; but theneed dictated by a strategic plan which has more than one reason. Without forgetting that in a couple of months Sinner will also be busy with the Olympic tournament which will take place on the same courts as the French Open: a little more training on that same clay will do him no good.