Sinner appears on the streets of New York facing two major accusations, while Federer unexpectedly gains attention due to the Italians

With the US Open singles draw imminent, there's a hot topic in the media: will Sinner pull out of singles and forfeit his chance to defend the title?

The reason people are so worried about Sinner’s ability to appear smoothly at Flushing Meadows to begin his US Open title defense is due to his sudden retirement in the Cincinnati Masters final.

In the semifinals, he played fluidly against a French qualifier dark horse, winning in straight sets. However, in the final against Alcaraz, after just 23 minutes, he abruptly withdrew citing physical discomfort. Sinner’s health seemed quite serious. Although doctors later confirmed that the Italian suffered an acute stomach illness triggered by heat, unrelated to injury, and it wouldn’t affect his participation in the US Open, some remain worried since Sinner himself has not officially announced his full recovery.

In fact, many believe Sinner’s withdrawal in the Cincinnati final was a strategic move to protect himself for the US Open, a timely decision to cut losses.

Now, the first thing Sinner did upon arriving in New York indirectly confirms that his health has likely fully recovered.

Attentive fans and netizens noticed that after withdrawing from the US Open mixed doubles, the Italian, with no upcoming matches, was seen strolling through Manhattan’s streets with a light step and looking in great shape, accompanied throughout by fitness coach Ferrara and hitting partner Cincilla.

After the news and photos were released, some commented on how quickly Sinner recovered: “Yesterday he looked pale, today he’s lively—what kind of ‘medicine’ did he take to bounce back so fast?”

This information essentially tells everyone that if Sinner’s health were truly compromised, upon arriving in New York he would only do two things: rest quietly behind closed doors and seek every possible treatment! Now appearing on the streets, chatting and laughing with his team, clearly indicates he is fine.

Originally, many were unhappy with Sinner’s sudden withdrawal before the match, and now, after being spotted casually wandering New York streets in this condition, fans and netizens have leveled two major accusations against him!

When Sinner retired, the boos flying from the crowd made it clear he had sparked widespread anger. Besides the audience, fans and netizens who stayed up late to watch this highly anticipated match were equally upset, especially since the match ended abruptly after only 23 minutes. The public reaction was predictable.

For viewers watching the live broadcast, the worst consequence was losing some personal rest time, but the on-site spectators paid hefty ticket prices and suffered both financial and emotional losses due to Sinner’s withdrawal, so their frustration is understandable. This explains why many accuse Sinner of lacking sportsmanship and being selfish by withdrawing just to preserve himself for the US Open. Had he withdrawn before the event, spectators could have requested refunds in advance, and fans wouldn’t have stayed up late waiting for a match that never fully happened. Everything would have been peaceful, and Sinner wouldn’t now be accused of “colluding with organizers to cheat money” or having questionable sports ethics.

The second unforgivable accusation many direct at Sinner is that he let down the Czech player Siniakova!

The Czech player gave up her warm-up opportunity in Cleveland to partner with Sinner in the US Open mixed doubles. After news of Sinner’s withdrawal from mixed doubles came from Cincinnati, many expected the US Open organizers to find her a new partner as compensation. Instead, she was replaced outright by Collins and Harris.

After the match, some fans and netizens humorously commented that for a top doubles player like Siniakova, this blow was no small matter; “She probably cursed little Sinner’s ancestors more than once in her heart.”

Some even pointed out that given Sinner’s rapid recovery, it wouldn’t have been difficult for him to appear in the US Open mixed doubles as promised—it was just a matter of odds in winning or losing. “Ultimately, it seems Siniakova was not the ideal mixed doubles partner for the Italian.”

This speculation is not baseless but supported by facts.

Eric Butorac, the US Open Senior Director of Player Relations, revealed that Sinner had asked the organizers if he could partner with Queen Serena Williams in mixed doubles. After being told Serena had unavoidable reasons preventing the pairing, Siniakova became his final partner.

Therefore, some boldly speculate that if Serena had been his partner, Sinner definitely would not have withdrawn. This makes Siniakova’s situation feel even more frustrating and tragic.

Meanwhile, as the negative fallout from Sinner’s Cincinnati withdrawal is widely discussed, Swiss legend Federer unexpectedly becomes a subject of praise and admiration. Many even openly urge Sinner to learn from Federer’s example.

Federer is known as tennis’s beloved figure, not only for his personal charm but also for his serious attitude toward competition.

According to data, Federer played 1,526 career matches without ever withdrawing due to physical issues; in his pursuit of 20 Grand Slam titles, he completed eight finals while injured, even leaving the court only after shaking hands despite a bleeding knee. Federer’s dedication stems from understanding that sponsors, fans, and broadcasters are all watching, and quitting would ruin everyone’s livelihood.

In comparison to Federer’s example, Sinner’s mid-match retirement in Cincinnati looks even worse. One netizen summed it up aptly: “The new generation prioritizes their physical assets first; if it hurts, they stop, driven purely by personal calculation!”(Source: Tennis Home, Author: Moon River’s Starry Sky)