Jimmy Connors warns Jannik Sinner about something that he ‘must not do’ at Wimbledon
Jimmy Connors has warned Jannik Sinner not to listen to any discussion surrounding the French Open final against Carlos Alcaraz, ahead of the Italian’s Wimbledon campaign.
The world No 1 has been the player to beat over the last 18 months, winning three of the last six Grand Slams, as well as the Nitto ATP Finals and two Davis Cup titles.
However, Sinner suffered a heartbreaking loss to Alcaraz in the final of this year’s French Open, in a match where he possessed three championship points of his own and led by two-sets-to-love.
Since the clash, the Italian lost before the quarter-finals of a tournament for the first time since October 2023 – to Alexander Bublik at the ATP 500 tournament in Halle.
Connors, who is a two-time Wimbledon champion, has offered some, potentially, crucial advice to Sinner ahead of the grass-court Grand Slam.
“There is a lot of talk about it [the French Open loss] and – if you are not careful – you can let that talk creep into your head,” stated the American, on his Advantage Connors podcast.
“It would be better for him to put earplugs in and not listen to anybody, not read the press or listen to the press or listen to anything going on and take care of his business.
“As quick as they are to build you up, they are even quicker to knock you down. The only thing I can relate to going back is that they had me out of the game when I was 27 years old.
“I had won my titles, I couldn’t win any more, I was getting too old, I wasn’t good enough and these other guys were getting better.
“If you listen to that, that will take you down in a hurry. You have to know who you are and what you are and what you have to offer and continue to work.
“If you continue to work and grind, what goes up must come down. What comes down also bounces back up.”
Sinner is no stranger to mental challenges, having also served a three-month suspension from February until May of this year for failing two doping tests in March 2024.
Additionally, as argued by Connors, the three-time Grand Slam champion can also draw upon the fact that he has reached the showpiece match of both tournaments in which he has participated since returning – the Rome Masters and French Open.
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“I’m not saying he is down, he lost a final at Roland Garros. I mean, really? One of the biggest tournaments,” remarked Connors.
“So he goes right away to grass, it’s a change, the surface is different and the movement is different, the ball bounces differently.
“I have got a feeling that with the practice week that he has right before the tournament starts, I have no doubt he will be ready to play [at Wimbledon].”
