World No. 1 Jannik Sinner Says He’s ‘Not 100% Yet’ For US Open

NEW YORK, NEW YORK – SEPTEMBER 08: Jannik Sinner of Italy celebrates with the winners trophy after defeating Taylor Fritz of the United States to win the Men’s Singles Final on Day Fourteen of the 2024 US Open at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on September 08, 2024 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)

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World No. 1 and defending US Open champion Jannik Sinner says he’s “not 100% yet” for the start of the tournament but expects to be ready “in a couple of days.”

Sinner suffered from a virus at the Cincinnati Open that forced him to retire down 5-0 to rival Carlos Alcaraz in Monday’s final.

“I’m firstly very happy to be back here,” Sinner said Friday at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. “It’s a great tournament. It’s obviously the last Grand Slam we have for this season, so, you know, the motivations are very high.

“So physically I feel good. You know, I have recovered mostly, not 100% yet, but we are aiming to be there in couple of days. So should be all fine for the tournament.”

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Sinner is slated to play his first match Monday against Vit Kopriva of the Czech Republic, according to the ESPN app. The US Open has yet to release an official schedule for Monday.

The 24-year-old Italian pulled out of the US Open Mixed Doubles event earlier this week and said he’s been recovering slowly.

“It was a virus also some other players had,” he said. “Just sleeping and recovering. Nothing crazy.”

Speaking Wednesday on ESPN, Sinner’s coach, ESPN broadcaster Darren Cahill, said Sinner suffered his “worst nightmare” in Cincinnati.

“We are confident he’s going to be fine,” Cahill added.

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Sinner has won three of the last four majors, including his first Wimbledon title this summer, and is the betting favorite to repeat here in New York.

He and Alcaraz have been dubbed “The New 2” by Jim Courier because they have won the last seven major titles. They have quickly replaced “The Big 3” of Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic, who combined to win 66 majors during their heyday. (Djokovic is the only active member of the trio and is the No. 7 seed at the US Open.)

Asked how he felt about that moniker, Sinner said:

“If we don’t continue to improve, players will catch us. It’s just a question of time. So what I am trying to do is to understand where I can work on. Then we have certain areas of the game certainly where we can work on. From my point of view, that’s positive. It only makes me a better tennis player and in the future.

“To have rivalries, it’s great. You know, it’s good for the sport, it’s good for [my] personal view because sometimes when you’re tired in practice, you try to simulate certain things, because they can happen in the real match.”

He continued: “At the moment, me and Carlos, we are sharing big trophies, but in the same time, things can change. You know, you never know. There are great, great players out there, and to the way to the final, it’s very difficult to get there, you know.

“So let’s see if this continues. But in the other way, I always say we have to improve, because players, they understand us now how we are. So let’s see in the future.”