"Jannik Sinner compared to his competitors is more fragile" - Tennis insider shares feelings on Italian's 'ailments' after Paris Masters withdrawal

Jannik Sinner's latest withdrawal from the 2024 Paris Masters has a tennis journalist claiming the Italian is more prone to ailments than his colleagues on the ATP Tour. Sinner pulled out of the concluding ATP Masters 1000 tournament citing a viral infection.

The Italian's last appearance on the ATP Tour came at the Shanghai Masters, where he beat Novak Djokovic in the final to win his third Masters 1000 title of the year. He then competed at the Six Kings Slam, an exhibition event in Riyadh, and won it by triumphing over Carlos Alcaraz in the summit clash.

Sinner was then scheduled to play at the Paris Masters but he withdrew from the tournament.

"I came very early here to prepare then I fell sick, I'm having a virus at the moment, which is going to pass the next two-three days, so bodywise I'm not ready to compete," Sinner said.

The 23-year-old was replaced by local boy Arthur Cazaux in the main draw following his withdrawal. In the 2023 edition of the Masters 1000 tournament, he awarded Alex de Minaur a walkover in the Round of 16 amid scheduling woes.

The latest withdrawal adds to his list of skipped tournaments in 2024, that include Paris Olympics, Madrid Masters, Italian Open, and Nordea Open.

Guido Monaco, a tennis insider, has thus concluded the World No. 1 catches health problems more frequently than his rivals.

"Sorry not to see him, but on the one hand it's welcome," Monaco said (via OA Sport). "We hope nothing serious. Let's take Bercy last year, this year's Paris that we know how it arrived, the Olympics... this year Paris is not to spend the holidays there. We understood that Sinner compared to his other competitors is a little more fragile with respect to these ailments."

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Guido Monaco suggests "repercussions" from doping scandal adding to Jannik Sinner's health woes

Jannik Sinner (Getty)

Guido Monaco extended his argument on Jannik Sinner's fitness problems, suggesting the latter's move to sign up for Six Kings Slam, the exhibition in Riyadh, was unwarranted.

"Changes of continent, plane, interviews, people... it's not like I rest eight days and erase everything. Sometimes it's more complex. In my opinion, the commitment of Riyadh, as Bercy could have been, at least one too many," Monaco added.

The tennis insider further claimed that the legal problems around Indian Wells doping scandal might also be affecting the Italian.

"In view of the Finals and Davis I'm happy, I have nothing against Bercy. It will come back good. We are not all the same, he offers the impression of being a little more fragile than his other rivals, and let's add all the repercussions from the trial," Monaco added.

Earlier this year, Jannik Sinner tested positive for Clostebol, a performance enhancing steroid, twice during the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells. He faced an investigation from the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) for months before getting a clean chit in August.

However, his struggle didn't end there as World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) moved Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in September, challenging ITIA's ruling.