Jannik Sinner’s fans were left infuriated after the Italian reluctantly signed an Italian flag for journalist Bruno Vespa following his Vienna Open win. The reason behind Sinner’s reaction was Vespa’s earlier critical remarks questioning his authenticity after he withdrew from the 2025 Davis Cup.
Jannik Sinner extended his indoor hard-court win to 21 at the Vienna Open, defeating Alexander Zverev in the finals. While he made strides on the Austrian court, he also made his stance clear about sitting out of the Davis Cup to focus on the 2026 season, as he will have to defend his title at the 2026 Australian Open.
Upon hearing this, popular Italian journalist Bruno Vespa called Sinner out, raising questions about his authenticity and comparing him to Carlos Alcaraz. Recently, a journalist from an Italian TV program approached the 24-year-old to sign an Italian flag for Vespa. The four-time Grand Slam champion was visibly annoyed, yet still inscribed his name with a straight face.
Fans were displeased with the incident, stating that it disgusted Sinner and his supporters alike. One fan wrote:
“It disgusts everyone and does it very well (he was pissed off to the max)”
Another fan chimed in, noting that Sinner has done more than anyone could ask for. He delivered multiple Davis Cup titles for his nation and reached the upper echelon of men’s tennis without any support.
“He didn’t ask anyone for anything to get to where he is now, but they keep bothering and criticizing him. It’s a shame. He gave Italy two Davis Cups that we couldn’t even dream of. Leave him alone. You don’t follow tennis, you don’t understand it enough. Go take up horse racing.”
Another X user noted that Sinner’s face looked like never before, commenting on his unusual expression.
“Omg… His face, I’ve never seen Jannik this angry.”
Here are some other reactions:
“Yet he didn’t tell him to go f**k himself, he wrote and signed, he went along with it. A true gentleman, polite as always. What a magnificent job they did with this boy, the Sinner’s parents,” a fan commented.
“Never seen jannik looks so pissed off the court,” tweeted a fan.
Jannik Sinner accepted all the criticisms he received after the Davis Cup decision
Jannik Sinner has been headlining men’s tennis for two years now, toe-to-toe with his biggest rival, Carlos Alcaraz. He won four Grand Slam titles and racked up multiple Tour-level wins across different surfaces. After the Majors, he entered the Asian hard-court swing, winning the China Open title but succumbing to a leg cramp in the Shanghai Masters.
He also triumphed at the Six Kings Slam and the Vienna Open, but announced his decision to sit out of the Davis Cup, scheduled after the ATP Finals. His withdrawal met with backlash from several people, including Italian tennis legend Nicola Pietrangeli. Despite that, the 24-year-old seemed to stick by his decision, accepting the criticisms, saying:
“I accept all the criticism [about the Davis Cup], but I’ve already said everything on this topic and have nothing to add.”
Jannik Sinner lost his No. 1 rank to Alcaraz after he lost to the Spaniard in the US Open finals.
alt=”Agnijeeta Majumder” height=”72″ width=”72″>
Edited by Agnijeeta Majumder
