Jannik Sinner told he should ‘act more maliciously’ after Shanghai Masters retirement

Ewan West 07 Oct 2025 11:30 AM

Jannik Sinner reacts during a match

Italian tennis analyst Guido Monaco has suggested that Jannik Sinner should act “more maliciously” after physical issues ended his campaign at the 2025 Shanghai Masters.

Sinner retired due to cramping after being broken to fall 3-2 behind in the third set of his third round match with Tallon Griekspoor in Shanghai. The world No 2 was in visible discomfort and struggled to move due to the cramps early in the deciding set.

The four-time major winner is one of seven players who has been forced to retire mid-match in Shanghai so far, with the heat and humidity making conditions at the tournament brutal.

Sinner was the reigning champion in Shanghai, and he was looking to win back-to-back titles in China after his victory at the ATP 500 in Beijing.

Monaco, a Eurosport commentator and former player, claimed Sinner should consider tactically using medical timeouts if he suffers from cramping in the future.

“It is entirely possible that after playing a tournament a few days earlier and two consecutive matches in another tournament with little time to recover, such a situation could arise in this climate,” Monaco was quoted as saying by We Love Tennis.

“Perhaps in the future, he could act more maliciously, requesting a medical timeout at the first signs and justifying this with a small contracture.

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“Indeed, according to the rules, cramps are not considered an injury and cannot be treated.”

Sinner has been forced to pull out mid-match at the last two Masters 1000 events as he retired due to illness after losing the first five games of the Cincinnati Open final against Carlos Alcaraz in August due to illness.

Following the Cincinnati final, Monaco assessed that Sinner is “more fragile” physically than other players.

“If a player, due to geographical background, physique, or DNA, after twelve days of having had difficult moments finishes his matches and enters a lounge with the air conditioning at seven degrees, it’s really easy to feel bad,” Monaco told OA Sport.

“Even in Miami against [Daniil] Medvedev, he (Sinner) arrived with a fever, playing an anonymous match.

“Even at Wimbledon last year, even if there was something else involved, the physical sensation was the same, obviously for different reasons. I have a common thread. The show was what it was.

“Sinner might be more fragile than others and suffers more in certain conditions. I’m fine with that, it makes him more human.”