Former tennis star has Jannik Sinner theory as viral footage from Italian Open sparks health concern

Jannik Sinner looked like he may have suffered an anxiety or panic attack during his Italian Open semi-final clash against Daniil Medvedev, according to former Grand Slam champion Flavia Pennetta.

On Friday night, Sinner overcame physical struggles to take a 6-2 5-7 4-2 lead over Medvedev before the deciding set was interrupted because of rain.

At one stage, the world number one called for a medical timeout after showing signs he was struggling to cope with the physical side of the semi-final clash.

In fact, after continuously leaning on his racquet to support himself, Sinner was struggling to catch his breath on the sidelines, with footage of the scenes at Foro Italico soon going viral on social media.

Fans were quick to express their concern. Tennis writer Pavvy G wrote: "Something is majorly off. Those who really care about Sinner should be really concerned too, this is not normal for a supremely fit 24-year-old elite athlete."

He added: "We see this so many times now with him, he's putting his health at risk."

😰 Según Flavia Pennetta, Jannik Sinner tuvo un ataque de pánico en este momento.

🗣 “Parecía que no conseguía respirar, como si estuviera atravesando un ataque de pánico. En el Australian Open 2025 le pasó y quizá ahora ya pueda reconocer esos momentos”. pic.twitter.com/ii5XDAbHbT

— Tiempo De Tenis (@Tiempodetenis1) May 16, 2026

After watching Sinner struggle to catch his breath, former US Open winner Flavia Pennetta gave her thoughts on the situation.

“It almost looked like an anxiety or panic attack, because he suddenly couldn't breathe properly. Then, he managed to recover, to control himself and slow down his heart rate," she told Sky Sports, as per Tennis Temple.

"It really struck me. He calmed himself down, which reminded me of what happened in Australia, with the difference that there may have been a first warning sign then, and he may not have immediately identified what he was feeling.”

As mentioned above, Pennetta believes Sinner learned from his previous health issues during a clash against Holger Rune at the 2025 Australian Open.

Speaking after beating Rune in four sets, Sinner said: “I was not feeling really well. I think we saw that today, I was struggling physically."

He added: “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.”

Daniil Medvedev issued complaint against Jannik Sinner before Italian Open delay

Sinner’s match was overshadowed by physical issues, with the four-time Grand Slam winner appearing to lean on his racket before calling a medical timeout for treatment during the third set.

Medical staff worked on Sinner’s thigh as pain was etched across his face, although his opponent was less than sympathetic, lodging a complaint with the umpire.

“When we call the physio for cramps, we don’t get fined?” Medvedev said.

According to ATP Tour rules, players are not allowed medical timeouts for cramps, as they are classed as a fitness issue rather than an injury.