Sinner Returns Recharged and Ready To Defend Cincy Crown

By Grant Thompson

It was a slightly overcast Monday evening and Jannik Sinner was holding a 5 p.m. practice on Court 20, one of the most intimate corners of the Lindner Family Tennis Center. With the gates not yet open to the public, just a handful of tournament volunteers had the luxury of an early, up-close look at the Italian, who was working through a series of baseline patterns with quiet intensity.

Smiling as he walked onto the court, the World No. 1 exuded the energy of a player refreshed — after a taxing summer that included a marathon Roland Garros final and an emotional rebound win at Wimbledon, defeating rival Carlos Alcaraz in the championship match. Now, after nearly a month away from competition, Sinner is well-rested and ready to begin his title defense at the Cincinnati Open.

But scheduling that precious rest, and truly taking it, has been a key lesson that Sinner has learned throughout his early years on Tour.

“The body and mind need to recover and need to understand what happened,” a reflective Sinner told reporters Wednesday. “I’m very happy I took some time off after [Wimbledon], seeing my family and friends and very important people I have around.

“In the past, I made some mistakes sometimes, starting too early at times. I had conversations with the whole team, trying to understand what’s best. When you win big titles, they are very special moments and [then] you have to leave them.”

Just as Sinner is recharged for another Cincinnati appearance, so too is the Masters 1000 event, which underwent a $260 million transformation. The renovation project began the morning after Sinner was crowned champion last year.

“It’s amazing what they did in one year,” said Sinner, who beat Frances Tiafoe 7-6(4), 6-2 in last year’s final. “Everything has improved so, so much, but mostly the space they have for us players. Things inside and outside, the dining area is much, much bigger and when you come from the transportation, it’s like a hotel. It’s amazing. Incredible.”

Boasting a 26-3 season record, Sinner is competing with high stakes throughout the next month. The 23-year-old, who celebrates his 24th birthday on semifinal Saturday next week (August 16), is defending not only the Cincinnati title, but also the US Open. He is seeking his third trophy of 2025 (Australian Open, Wimbledon).

Practicing with Christopher Eubanks on Wednesday, Sinner was sporting a protective arm sleeve, much like the one he wore at Wimbledon after suffering a fall in the fourth round.

“Today was the first time that I put the sleeve on because I liked the feeling of the sleeve,” Sinner said. “The impact with the ball is slightly more stable, that’s my point of view and I liked it at Wimbledon. I had to see how it is when it’s very hot and humid because it’s a little bit different. It’s gonna be something that I take into consideration, but I really love the feeling of pure striking.”

After a first-round bye, Sinner’s tournament action begins this weekend. Don’t miss your chance to see the defending champ back on the Cincinnati courts.