World number one Jannik Sinner made his return to the court at the US Open for the first time since retiring from the Cincinnati final due to illness. The Italian was seen practicing on the courts, getting adjusted to the conditions while his head coach, Simone Vagnozzi, kept a close eye on him.
After the training session, Vagnozzi answered some of the concerns regarding Sinner’s health and his performance ahead of the US Open, offering insight into the defending champion’s recovery and readiness.
What Did Jannik Sinner’s Coach Say About His Health?
When asked how Sinner performed in his first hit-around since the virus, Vagnozzi expressed relief and satisfaction. “We are really happy because he needed two days of rest after Cincinnati,” he explained. “It was two weeks, tough condition, it’s hot there and humid, so with a virus and everything. And we’re very happy about his performance today.”
The session was meant primarily to help Sinner reacquaint himself with the court and the balls. On that aspect, Vagnozzi explained, “Today was the first time; it was just to try the condition of the court. The ball, there’s a lot of difference here than Cincinnati. For sure, he likes it more here than Cincinnati, so tomorrow will be maybe more match-day, trying something on the match. Today was just feeling the ball.”
As the draw was announced mid-practice, the coach was asked if they would inspect Sinner’s next opponent. Vagnozzi smiled and showed his enthusiasm for the tournament atmosphere, saying, “Yeah, it’s really fun now to come here, to have all this crowd here and for sure Jannik will enjoy.”
intervista a vagno + il bebito che firma cose ai bot che lui stesso ha pagato🫶🏻 pic.twitter.com/hJvyCDkqMC
— ☾ sab (@signofhsa) August 21, 2025
His upbeat tone hinted at Sinner’s readiness to face whatever the draw presents and the extra boost he gets from New York’s atmosphere.
How Did Sinner’s Illness Affect His Recent Campaigns?
Sinner was the defending champion at Cincinnati but fell ill during the tournament, forcing him to retire before the final. He was trailing 0-5 against the champion Carlos Alcaraz when he decided to stop the play, unable to continue competing at his usual level.
The illness also forced Sinner to withdraw from the mixed doubles, where he had just been paired with doubles specialist Kateřina Siniaková, citing lingering symptoms of the virus. Reports confirmed he experienced fatigue, chills, and a mild fever, which made competing at peak level impossible.
That setback ended his streak of consecutive finals appearances and raised some concern about his form heading into New York.
However, Vagnozzi’s comments during the opening practice suggest Sinner has regained his health and feels comfortable on the court once again. With the US Open officially underway, Sinner looks set to resume full-intensity sessions and aim for his fifth Grand Slam title. He is set to face Vit Kopřiva in the first round on Sunday.
