Jannik Sinner lost to Jakub Mensik, 6-7, 6-2, 3-6, in the quarterfinals of the Qatar Open.
The Italian had been expected to make light work of his Czech opponent, but lost in three sets to the world number 16.
Sinner wasn’t at his best in Doha, as the wait for his first title of 2026 goes on.
Is it time to start worrying about Jannik Sinner yet?
He has not looked himself in 2026…
There’s no reason to panic, just yet, but some in Italy have expressed concerns over Sinner’s form.
1976 Davis Cup champion (Italy) Paolo Bertolucci was keen to share his thoughts on social media.
Paolo Bertolucci says Jannik Sinner needs a ‘re-think’ after Qatar exit
Never afraid to voice his opinions, Bertolucci took to X after Sinner’s defeat to Mensik.
“[Jannik] Sinner is in love; he needs to rethink his preparation, change the team, rediscover that killer instinct, change his game, work only on his tennis, limit the advertisements, accept [Carlos] Alcaraz’s superiority, and revise his schedule,” he said (translated from Italian).
“It takes some arrogance to process being the ATP number two.”
Bertolucci believes Sinner needs to change things up if he wants to return to world number one.
He currently trails Alcaraz by just under 3,000 points in the ATP rankings.
Official ATP Rankings
- 1. Carlos Alcaraz – 13,150 points
- 2. Jannik Sinner – 10,300 points
- 3. Novak Djokovic – 5,280 points
- 4. Alexander Zverev – 4,605 points
- 5. Lorenzo Musetti – 4,405 points
The four-time Grand Slam champion will have chances to close the gap over the coming months, with no points to defend between now and the clay-court season, but he’ll need to play better than he did in Doha if he wants any chance of taking the top spot from Alcaraz.
Bertolucci wasn’t the only top Italian journalist to comment on Sinner’s defeat, as Sky Sports reporter Federico Mariani said the following on X.
“I’d avoid making a tragedy out of it,” he said (translated from Italian).
“Sinner is just experiencing a slight dip after two years of otherworldly performance.
“In all of this, he’s lost two matches while scoring more points than his opponent, and to beat him, it still takes a monstrous performance from a very strong rival.
Jannik Sinner’s 2026 defeats
| Match | Jannik Sinner’s points won | Opponent’s points won | Score |
| 2026 Australian Open SF vs Novak Djokovic | 152 | 140 | 6-3, 3-6, 6-4, 4-6, 4-6 |
| 2026 Qatar Open QF vs Jakub Mensik | 89 | 86 | 6-7, 6-2, 3-6 |
“I remember that, around this time last year, Alcaraz had the exact same points total that Sinner has now, and shortly after, he flopped at Indian Wells and Miami too, then we all know how he wrapped up 2026.
“Moreover, as Sinner himself said, the main goal for 2026 is Paris. Rightly so, I might add.”
After losing to Mensik in Doha, Sinner suggested he already had one eye on this year’s French Open.
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If he were to win Roland Garros in June, he’d complete the Career Grand Slam, following in the footsteps of his rival, Alcaraz.
There’s a long way to go before then, though, and Sinner will want to return to winning ways next month in the United States.
Jannik Sinner’s record at Indian Wells and the Miami Open
Sinner will next appear at an ATP event in Indian Wells.
The Italian has yet to win the title in California, but reached the semifinals on his previous two visits.
Jannik Sinner’s Indian Wells record (11-3)
- 2021 Indian Wells – Jannik Sinner lost in 4R to Taylor Fritz
- 2022 Indian Wells – Jannik Sinner withdrew before 4R
- 2023 Indian Wells – Jannik Sinner lost in SF to Carlos Alcaraz
- 2024 Indian Wells – Jannik Sinner lost in SF to Carlos Alcaraz
On both occasions, he lost to Alcaraz.
He’s enjoyed more success at the Miami Open, reaching two finals before claiming the title in 2024.
Jannik Sinner’s Miami Open record (19-3)
- 2021 Miami Open – Jannik Sinner lost in F to Hubert Hurkacz
- 2022 Miami Open – Jannik Sinner lost in QF to Francisco Cerundolo
- 2023 Miami Open – Jannik Sinner lost in F to Daniil Medvedev
- 2024 Miami Open – Jannik Sinner beat Grigor Dimitrov in F
Sinner wasn’t given the chance to defend his title in 2025 due to his three-month tennis suspension.
He will want to make the most of his return and get his hands back on the trophy in 2026.
But first, he’ll head to Indian Wells, which begins on Wednesday, March 4.
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