Jannik Sinner will skip the Davis Cup to focus on defending the Australian Open
After Carlos Alcaraz became world number one at Arthur Ashe Stadium in September, loser Jannik Sinner went straight for the self-improvement tool, winning in Shanghai and exhibiting revenge on his foe in Saudi Arabia at the Six Kings Slam. There is no “I” in the team and Sinner has pulled out of his country’s Davis Cup defense in Bologna next month to focus on plans for the Australian Open.
“I’ve won the Davis Cup twice. My team and I made this decision because the end of the season is very long and I need an extra week off to start training earlier,” Sinner told Sky Sports during a media day for the Vienna Open, which he won in 2023. He is on international duty. Sinner wants to get back to the top of the singles tree.
“The aim is to be in top form for Australia. I haven’t been in top form in the last two years due to lack of time, so we decided it was the right move,” the four-time major winner continued. Some might question that argument after current holder Melbourne won eleven straight sets to claim the title in 2025.
Sinner is scheduled to play the ATP Finals from November 9 to November 16, with the Davis Cup 8 Finals starting two days later. Italy captain Filippo Volandri tried to be diplomatic, calling the competition “home” for Sinner but insisting the rest of the squad would fight for the blue jersey. Former French Open winner Nicola Pietrangeli was more blunt, calling the decision “a huge slap in the face for Italian sport”.
Pietrangeli’s position may have been born of tradition, given that he led the team to their first-ever Davis Cup title in 1976 as coach. In today’s hectic schedule, top players prioritize increasing workloads over passionate patriotism and team events. Alcaraz crashed out of Valencia’s second-round tie in September just days after winning his second US Open, although he will play at the BolognaFiere.
Sinner has never played in the Laver Cup, while world number three Alexander Zverev is a a regular for Team Europe and Alcaraz appeared in San Francisco less than a fortnight after his sixth Slam success in New York. In mitigation, Sinner and Drew from the Paris 2024 Olympics with angina as Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic faced off in a wild final.
However, Sinner was strongly supported by his compatriots during his three-month doping ban and entered the Italian Open in May as a returning gladiator. “We are waiting for him with open arms,” said tournament director Paolo Lorenzi. Even Italy’s second best-selling daily La Gazzetta dello Sport insisted he should reconsider his decision to leave the Italian venue after the ATP season finale in Turin.
Italy have won the Davis Cup in the last two campaigns with Sinner as a central figure in both, winning all of their singles and doubles matches from the knockout stages. The 24-year-old’s Davis Cup comeback against Serbia’s Novak Djokovic in 2023, when he came back from 504 and 0-40 down, really turned his confidence around against the 24-time major champion in Malaga. He sets the path for his dominance on the main circuit alongside another standout Next Gen graduate.
Sinner started his bout against Alcaraz with the upper hand, but has lost seven of his last eight professional bouts against the Spaniard. The reigning Australian Open and Wimbledon champion admitted he needed to make changes after his loss at Flushing Meadows. Sinner attended the Six Kings title exhibition in Riyadh with a brand of tennis that meant business, while Alcaraz enjoyed the ride. Majors mean more.
RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA – OCTOBER 18: Jannik Sinner of Italy and Carlos Alcaraz of Spain hug after the men’s singles final on day three of the Six Kings Slam 2025 at ANB Arena on October 18, 2025 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (Photo: Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)
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Sinner’s performance in Riyadh showed a new determination to up the ante on the serve, but it also showed a change of pace away from the automated artillery of returns and groundstrokes. Alcaraz mentioned that he “felt” the difference from the other side of the net.
Alcaraz was out on serve at Wimbledon, while Sinner’s first serve percentage dropped in New York. The epic French Open final was a blast and there is sure to be more to come as both continue to push the boundaries of men’s tennis.