Jannik Sinner pulls out of Paris Masters, blames event’s schedule

Jannik Sinner Withdraws from Paris Masters Due to Late Night Finish

Jannik Sinner has made the difficult decision to withdraw from the Paris Masters after his grueling second-round match concluded in the early hours of Thursday morning. As the fourth seed, Sinner prioritizes his health and felt it was necessary to step back from the tournament in order to recover properly.

Sinner’s match against Mackenzie McDonald didn’t start until after midnight and ended at an exhausting 2:37 a.m. With a third-round match against Alex de Minaur scheduled for Thursday afternoon, organizers received criticism for the late scheduling.

Addressing the situation on social media, Sinner expressed his regret, saying, “I apologize for announcing my withdrawal from today’s match in Bercy. I finished the match close to 3 a.m. and couldn’t go to bed until a few hours later. With less than 12 hours of rest, I couldn’t adequately prepare for the next game.”

Despite the setback, Sinner has already secured a spot in the ATP Finals in Turin, commencing on November 12. As a result of Sinner’s withdrawal, Alex de Minaur will now face Andrey Rublev in the quarterfinals due to a walkover.

Considering the upcoming ATP Finals and the Davis Cup, Sinner emphasized the importance of making the right decision for his health and body. He stated, “Now I will focus on preparing for these significant events. See you in Turin.”

After his late-night victory over McDonald, Sinner had already hinted at the possibility of withdrawing, expressing uncertainty about his participation in the next round until he woke up and assessed his condition.

Supporting Sinner, Casper Ruud criticized the ATP, sarcastically applauding their helpfulness in allowing one of the top players to recover within a meager 14.5 hours after finishing his previous match at 2:37 a.m. Ruud expressed his frustration on social media, stating, “What a joke.” Ruud’s tweet.

Late finishes have become a common occurrence in various tournaments, including the US Open and Australian Open. Andy Murray, for instance, referred to his 4:05 a.m. finish in a match against Thanasi Kokkinakis in Australia this year as a “farce.”

In August, Elena Rybakina expressed feeling “destroyed” by the scheduling at the Montreal tournament after her quarterfinal concluded at 3 a.m.

Despite complaints, the US Open has no plans to adjust its schedule. Tournament director Stacey Allaster explained, “We considered an earlier evening session start, perhaps at 6 p.m. instead of 7 p.m., but that’s not feasible as it would be difficult for New Yorkers to arrive here even by 7 p.m.”