Former tennis star Flavia Pennetta raises concerns over World No1 Jannik Sinner’s anxiety attack during Italian Open semifinal

Jannik Sinner (Image credit: X)

Former Italian tennis star Flavia Pennetta has expressed concern about the physical condition of Jannik Sinner during his semifinal clash at the 2026 Italian Open. The world No. 1 looked in complete control early in the match against Daniil Medvedev before suddenly showing signs of fatigue and discomfort in front of the home crowd at Foro Italico. Jannik Sinner won the opening set 6-2 with ease after continuing his dominant run in Rome. However, the Italian appeared physically drained in the later stages of the match. He was seen struggling to breathe, leaning on his racket, and bending over between points. The match was later suspended because of rain with Sinner leading 4-2 in the deciding set. The semifinal will resume on Saturday, May 16, with the winner advancing to face Casper Ruud in the final.

Flavia Pennetta suspects anxiety attack episode during Italian Open semifinal

After watching Jannik Sinner struggle physically on court, Flavia Pennetta suggested that the issue may have been related to anxiety rather than only physical exhaustion. Speaking about the incident, the former US Open champion explained that Sinner appeared unable to control his breathing for a period during the match. She added that he eventually managed to calm himself and regain composure. Pennetta also pointed to similar moments from the 2025 Australian Open. According to her, Sinner may not have fully understood those symptoms at the time, but now seems more capable of recognizing and managing them during matches. The Italian star also received treatment on his legs after suffering cramps during the semifinal. Medical staff were seen massaging his quads while he quickly drank water during a timeout in the third set. Despite the discomfort, Sinner continued competing strongly before the weather interruption stopped play. Daniil Medvedev became the first player at this year’s Italian Open to push Sinner into a deciding set. After losing the opening set comfortably, the Russian responded well and claimed the second set 7-5 to level the contest. Rain then forced organizers to suspend the match while Sinner held a 4-2 lead in the final set. The Italian had also complained that the court lines were becoming slippery due to the weather conditions. Sinner entered the tournament chasing his sixth straight ATP Masters 1000 title. He has already won the 2025 Paris Masters and four major Masters events in 2026, including Indian Wells, Miami, Monte-Carlo, and Madrid.

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