Boris Becker tells tennis fans what to do with Jannik Sinner after he skips the Davis Cup Finals

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Jannik Sinner has been subject to plenty of criticism following his recent Davis Cup announcement.

After winning the title with Italy in 2023 and 2024, Sinner chose to skip this year’s Davis Cup Finals.

Italian legend Nicola Pietrangeli described the move as a ‘slap in the face’, having previously implored his countryman to stay committed to the national team.

Some have come out in defense of Sinner, however, including Germany’s Boris Becker.

The seven-time Grand Slam winner has now told fans what they need to do to Sinner.

Boris Becker says fans need to give Jannik Sinner space

During the latest episode of ‘Becker Petkovic’, Becker gave his verdict on Sinner’s decision to skip the 2025 Davis Cup Finals.

“That’s the problem when you win that much. The fan gets used to it, the country gets used to it,” he said.

The last 10 Davis Cup champions

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“They assume that you then belong to them, that the country is entitled to your life.

“That sounds kind of familiar to me.”

Becker believes Italian fans need to allow Sinner to rest if they want him to continue to perform on the ATP Tour.

“I gave a long interview with Corriere della Sera two weeks ago, where this was also addressed, because they were upset,” he said.

“I said Jannik Sinner belongs to Jannik Sinner and not Italy. And what he has done for this country over the past two years has been extraordinary, but it is not normal.

“He needs a break, has to prepare himself, his body, mind, and soul must now recover during the winter break.

“And if he plays Davis Cup again next year, then be happy.

“So give the boy a little space. He still has a long career ahead of him; he can’t play every tournament.”

Becker’s co-host, Andrea Petkovic, weighed in with her thoughts, providing a reason for why Sinner chose to withdraw from the 2025 tournament.

“The Davis Cup is in Bologna, so, of course, the fans wanted to see Jannik Sinner there,” she said.

“But I also have to say, because he had the three-month suspension, he has played an extreme amount during the back-end of the season by his standards.

Jannik Sinner’s schedule post-US Open

“He is more someone who plays one, two tournaments, and then takes a break.

“This year, he played all the way through since Beijing… Shanghai, Six Kings Slam: all the indoor tournaments.

“He wanted to get the number one, didn’t get that, but played a lot of tournaments by his standards.”

Between September 25 and November 16 (52 days), Sinner played 25 matches and six tournaments, winning five.

Looking at those numbers, it’s no surprise that the Italian needed a break!

When will Jannik Sinner return to tennis?

Sinner is expected to return to the court in South Korea for an exhibition match against Carlos Alcaraz on January 10, 2026.

He’ll then turn his focus to the Australian Open, where he will attempt to win his third title in a row.

If Sinner is successful, he will close the gap to Alcaraz in the list of active Grand Slam champions on the ATP Tour.

Active Grand Slam winners on the ATP Tour

• Novak Djokovic – 24
• Carlos Alcaraz – 6
• Jannik Sinner – 4
• Stan Wawrinka – 3
• Daniil Medvedev – 1
• Marin Cilic – 1

A third successive title would be remarkable, but it is far from a foregone conclusion.

Sinner is likely to face several tough tests in Melbourne, none tougher than what may be provided by his Spanish rival.

Alcaraz beat Sinner in four of the six matches they played this year, and continues to have the edge in their rivalry.

Only time will tell if Alcaraz or anyone else can stop Sinner on Rod Laver Arena in January, but you certainly won’t want to miss any of the action.

The 2026 Australian Open is scheduled to begin on Monday, January 12.