A legendary coach remains unfazed by Jannik Sinner's recent setbacks, offering a bold perspective on the tennis star's journey.
The Italian's Slow Start: A Temporary Blip?
Rick Macci, the renowned coach who guided Serena Williams in her early years, has a unique take on Jannik Sinner's less-than-stellar start to 2026. Despite Sinner's impressive record in 2025, winning six titles and only suffering six defeats, he couldn't defend his Australian Open title, falling to the mighty Novak Djokovic in the semifinals.
The Italian's fortunes didn't improve at the ATP 500 Doha tournament, where he was surprisingly ousted in the quarterfinals by world No. 13 Jakub Mensik. This loss means Sinner enters the Indian Wells Masters without a title for the first time since 2022.
But here's where it gets controversial...
'Nobody Goes Undefeated': A Coach's Perspective
Macci, in a tweet that's sure to spark debate, dismissed concerns about Sinner's form, writing, "Sinner is just fine. He lost to the Joker and Mensik. This is tennis. Nobody goes undefeated. When he wins a next event or a Slam, everyone will flip the script that he's back. He never left. Double digits majors baking in the Italian oven with extra parmesan."
This tweet, posted on February 23, 2026, has since gone viral, with many interpreting Macci's words as a bold prediction of Sinner's comeback.
Sinner's Confidence: Unshaken?
After his losses to Djokovic and Mensik, the logical question arises: has Sinner's confidence taken a hit? The four-time Grand Slam champion insists not. In his own words, "We've seen that all players struggle at times, but I wouldn't call this 'fatigue' yet. I've only lost a couple of matches. I also have to remember my successes in the last three years. The confidence to play good tennis is there."
Sinner, currently ranked world No. 2, will aim to win his first title of the year at Indian Wells, a tournament where he reached back-to-back semifinals in 2023 and 2024.
So, will Sinner prove Macci's prediction right? And what does this mean for the tennis world's perception of 'slow starts' and 'confidence dips'?
What's your take on this? Do you agree with Macci's assessment, or do you think Sinner's recent losses could have a more lasting impact? Let us know in the comments!
