Jannik Sinner was suffering yesterday during his match against Daniil Medvedev, as his one-set lead threatened to unravel into a shock defeat.
After all, having started so strongly, it seemed impossible to imagine him soon limping about the court, getting run side to side by his opponent.
Alas, that was the harsh reality for the world number one, who once again was battling with cramps and illness.
It should therefore come as no surprise that, when the rain came, Jannik Sinner was desperate for the match to be halted.
He made his plea to the umpire and, after initial resistance, she agreed with his argument.
Jannik Sinner’s plea to the umpire during match vs Daniil Medvedev
Even though Sinner had stolen a break in the third set, it was interesting to see him still so keen for the match to be postponed.
After all, Daniil Medvedev had enjoyed his mid-match resistance, and it was now the Italian who was seemingly in the ascendancy.
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Rain postponed Jannik Sinner and Daniil Medvedev's Italian Open semi-final…
This was clearly not the case from his point of view, as he argued: “It’s pouring!”
Sinner continued, when met with resistance: What do you mean? But what do you mean? The problem is the lines. What if I slip on the lines? How can you not make the decision? It’s pouring!”
“If the court is good, we play,” Aurélie Tourte, the umpire, said to Sinner, before eventually relenting and declaring the match postponed.
This came after Medvedev had complained to the umpire about Sinner and his dubious medical time-out.
Jamie Murray questions umpire decision-making during Jannik Sinner’s match
Jamie Murray, speaking live on Sky Sports’ broadcast during the match, echoed Sinner’s sentiment.
In fact, he went as far as to question what the umpire was doing with her decision-making, encouraging the players to flat-out refuse to play if they saw fit.
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The Scotsman suggested: “There is no way they should still be playing looking at that rain, no chance! I mean come on, umpire here! How can she say? Come on. This is unheard of from the umpire here, that she’s forced him to keep playing. This is nonsense.
“Jannik should also just stop playing, if he stops playing what are they going to do? I’m amazed that she’s saying they should continue, I’m even more amazed that Jannik is kind of accepting it.
“I’ve never seen an umpire so determined to keep the players on the court, normally they’re so cautious. She was determined, it was chucking it down!”
