Jannik Sinner experienced a very brief run at this year’s Shanghai Masters, where he was forced to retire due to cramps.
Sinner retired hurt against Tallon Griekspoor in the third round of the ATP Masters 1000 tournament, having trailed 7-6(7-3), 5-7, 2-3.
He was the second seed at the Shanghai Masters, where he won his opener 6-3, 6-3 against Daniel Altmaier.
Sinner won the tournament as the top seed this time last year, defeating legendary figure Novak Djokovic in the final.
The world number two entered it this year on the back of a hugely successful run at the China Open, which he won earlier this month.
What Jannik Sinner’s team are expected to change after cramps force him into Shanghai withdrawal
Sinner’s team are not worried about his cramps, but renowned coach Patrick Mouratoglou believes they will make changes to address the issue going forward.
He explained on his Instagram: “To explain Sinner’s cramps, there is only one word: humidity. [Taylor] Fritz had the same problem.
“We saw Novak Djokovic throw up two times. It’s not the first time he [Sinner] cramps. He had cramps against Carlos [Alcaraz] in Roland Garros.
READ MORE: Novak Djokovic has been given chance to make major statement to the rest of the ATP Tour in Shanghai
“But this was tension. Until it happens to you, there is no reason to change anything. Once it happened, his team will probably organize differently next time he’s going to play in such conditions.
“Probably increase the drinking also before the match, because during the match at a certain point you cannot drink more.
“And this is where waterdrop, for example, is important, because when you sweat that much, losing also everything that is in your body that you need to function.
“If something is missing, your body can shut down, and that’s what happened. Everybody says that conditions are extreme in Australia, 39 degrees is brutal. But it’s not even close to what you can experience in Asia or in New York sometimes.
“Most brutal conditions, it’s Asia number one. Then number two US Open on the humid days, and Cincinnati, Miami. And number three Australia.”
What will Jannik Sinner be focusing on after his Shanghai Masters withdrawal?
Sinner would be wise to skip the ATP 500 Vienna later this month, given his cramps issue and indeed the current world rankings.
He seems very unlikely to catch number one Alcaraz at this late stage, while he’s already qualified for the ATP Finals, alongside the Spaniard.
The Italian star lifted the trophy on home soil last time out, storming to the ATP Finals title without dropping a set.
Sinner will undoubtedly have one eye on defending his crown in Turin in November, although the upcoming ATP Masters 1000 Paris is perhaps his main focus at this moment in time.
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