Jannik Sinner was told to remove a banned item earlier today, just before he claimed a straight-sets win to reach the Australian Open quarter-finals.
Today’s match was far easier for the former world number one than his last, where he struggled through the scorching Melbourne heat to a narrow victory.
There was not nearly as much drama in his clash with Luciano Darderi though, claiming all three sets with minimal fuss to continue his quest for a third straight title here.
However, he had to do it without a key piece of apparatus, having been instructed to remove it before play got underway by the umpire.
Jannik Sinner has since reacted to this decision.
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The equipment in question was his Whoop wristband, which is used to measure data such as heart rate, heart rate variability (HRV), respiratory rate, skin temperature, and sleep stages.
This is all key to maximising recovery, which at this level is of paramount importance.
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Speaking in his post-match press conference about the ban, Sinner claimed: “Yeah, there is certain data what we would like to track a little bit on court. It’s not for the live thing. It’s more about you can see after the match. These are datas what we would like to use also in practice sessions because from that you can practice on with the heart rate, how much calories you burn, all these kind of things.
“Yeah, I mean, the umpire asked me straightaway if this is the tracker. I said yes. He said remove. It’s fine. There are other things we could use. It’s the vest. But it’s a bit for me uncomfortable. You feel like you have something on the shoulders. It’s a bit different.
“But rules are rules. I understand. I won’t use it again.”
He is not alone in wanting to wear a Whoop, with Carlos Alcaraz and Aryna Sabalenka both users too. It seems strange to deny them such pivotal information, especially after how Sinner struggled so badly in the heat at the Australian Open just the other day.
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It’s ridiculous that something as trivial as a data-tracking wearable should be banned from arguably the pinnacle of this professional sport.
After all, the data they attain from using such apparatus could be crucial in how they manage their recovery, thus creating a greater spectacle for the tournament with refreshed, higher-quality play.
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This just marks yet another pedantic and pointless rule that tennis enforces, indicating how the sport remains, in many ways, stuck in the past.
Alcaraz, Sinner and Sabalenka gain no in-match benefit from wearing the Whoop band, which is effectively just a bracelet. There is no screen or communication feature that might link the player to the coach.
All it does is measure crucial physiological data, the likes of which should not be restricted from professional athletes.
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