The Italian Open semifinal between Jannik Sinner and Daniil Medvedev was halted on Friday night, but not before delivering some of the most dramatic and concerning scenes of the tournament. The match was suspended (and postponed) due to heavy rain. But what worried the viewers was Sinner repeatedly bending over to catch his breath between points and shaking on the court, which a former tennis pro believes was actually a severe anxiety attack.
Flavia Pennetta Claims Australian Open Taught Sinner to Handle ‘Anxious Attacks’
Before the weather intervened, the match was a complete rollercoaster. Sinner, who can extend his record of ATP Masters 1000 wins to 33 with a win, raced to a 4-0 lead before taking the first set 6-2.
However, the Italian’s energy suddenly dropped as Medvedev kept his cool and took full advantage, building a 3-0 lead in the second set. Medvedev kept up the heavy pressure, eventually breaking the world No. 1 and winning 7-5. It was the very first set Sinner had dropped in the entire tournament. In the deciding third set, Sinner found a second wind, but as he was leading 4-2, the rain finally stopped play.
The physical toll on both athletes was extreme, but Sinner’s condition was particularly concerning. He continuously leaned heavily on his racquet just to support himself and was struggling to catch his breath. The distress escalated when Sinner collapsed on the court from a fit of vomiting, looking pained and barely able to stand. During the third set, he had to take a medical timeout so the physiotherapist could treat his thigh for severe cramps. Meanwhile, Medvedev also openly complained about cramping during the exchanges with the umpires.
Sinner che cerca di superare l’effetto Salvini ritardato di un giorno…
ed è l’unico al mondo capace di farlo…#Sinner #Jannik #IBI26 #Medvedev pic.twitter.com/DohC854x6M— Sirio 🏀 (@siriomerenda) May 15, 2026
Former WTA world No. 6 and Sky commentator Flavia Pennetta shared her observation on what happened to Sinner.
“It almost seemed like an anxiety or panic attack to me, precisely because Jannik suddenly couldn’t breathe properly,” Pennetta explained during the broadcast. Pennetta’s comments stem from her own intensely emotional moments during her career, namely the 2015 Indian Wells match against Maria Sharapova.
But she was impressed by his resilience, and she added that this is an improvement from 2025. “But he managed to recover immediately, control himself, and lower his heart rate, and that struck me. In the Australian Open 2025, it happened for the 1st time, and he didn’t know how to recognize it. Maybe now he’s able to understand when these moments are happening.”
During the 2025 Australian Open, Sinner visibly struggled in his fourth-round match against Holger Rune and sought medical attention. He admitted that he had woken up feeling unwell, had not warmed up, and had been fighting both his opponent and his own body. Off the court, there was also the ongoing stress of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) appeal regarding a prior Clostebol contamination case affecting him.
“I don’t want to talk so much how I felt today,” said Sinner after that match. “I was not feeling really well. I think we saw that today, I was struggling physically. Came here as late as possible. I knew that it was going to be very, very difficult today; playing against a tough opponent, but also playing against myself a little bit.”
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Meanwhile, this is not the first odd match delay at this year’s Italian Open. Last week, Luciano Darderi’s quarterfinal match against Rafael Jodar was also halted for nearly 20 minutes due to an unusual reason: thick smoke that lowered visibility. Fireworks and flares set off by Inter Milan soccer fans, who were celebrating their Coppa Italia victory at the nearby Stadio Olimpico, drifted directly over the tennis arena.
Now, however, both have plenty of time to rest their bodies. Sinner will look to shake off the panic and finish his rescheduled semifinal match against Medvedev on Saturday.
