Jannik Sinner slammed by two-time Grand Slam Italian champion for missing Davis Cup

World No. 2 Jannik Sinner, who won both the Australian Open and Wimbledon this year, will miss the Davis Cup Final 8 in Bologna from November 13-23. The Italian star cited the need for an extra week of rest after a grueling season to ensure he starts 2026 in peak form.

“I’m a two-time Davis Cup winner. My team and I made this decision because the season is very long at the end of the year and I need an extra week of rest to start my preparation earlier. The goal is to get off to a good start in Australia. In the last two years, I haven’t reached my best level because I lacked time, that’s why we made this decision,” Sinner said during a press conference in Vienna ahead of the ATP 500 tournament.

Sinner’s decision disappointed both his compatriots, who will miss his leadership in Italy’s quest for another title, and tennis fans worldwide, who lost the chance to see a potential showdown with World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz, the reigning US Open champion.

Italian tennis legend Nicola Pietrangeli, a two-time French Open champion in 1959 and 1960 and long regarded as Italy’s greatest player, openly criticized Sinner’s choice.

“It’s a slap in the face to Italian sport. I don’t understand why he calls it a difficult decision. We’re talking about playing tennis, not going to war. The Davis Cup is the pinnacle, and every athlete’s goal should be to wear the Azzurri shirt,” Pietrangeli told ANSA.

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He added, “Unfortunately, I speak from another era. I hope during the Davis Cup players don’t prioritize other events. Today, the world seems driven by money rather than heart.”

Italy’s squad for Davis Cup Final 8

Following Jannik Sinner’s decision to skip the Davis Cup Final 8, Italian captain Filippo Volandri named the squad to compete in Bologna. The team will feature Lorenzo Musetti, Matteo Berrettini, Flavio Cobolli, Simone Bolelli, and Andrea Vavassori.

The 2025 Davis Cup finals will take place in Bologna, Italy, from November 18-23, marking the conclusion of the tennis calendar for the year. The tournament will feature an eight-team knockout bracket starting from the quarterfinals.

Italy, as the defending champion, earned automatic qualification, while Austria, France, Belgium, Spain, the Czech Republic, Argentina, and Germany secured their spots through the qualifying rounds.