American former ATP star Steve Johnson recently addressed Jannik Sinner’s recent cramping issues, which were notably evident at the 2025 Shanghai Masters and more recently at the Vienna Open. According to Johnson, the problems are “weird” given that the Italian has previously endured marathon five-set matches at the Majors without similar difficulties.
At the Shanghai Masters, severe cramps forced Sinner to retire mid-match in the third round while trailing Tallon Griekspoor. The former No. 1 could barely walk when he chose to retire and needed assistance to leave the court. However, Sinner wasn’t the only player affected at Shanghai, as the brutally hot and humid conditions took a toll on several participants throughout the event.
In contrast, conditions at the Vienna Open were far more favorable for players. Despite this, Jannik Sinner still appeared to struggle with cramping at times during the final against Alexander Zverev. Nevertheless, the Italian ultimately triumphed in three sets to claim the title.
Reflecting on Sinner’s recent physical issues, Steve Johnson, speaking on the Nothing Major podcast, expressed his curiosity:
“I don’t know. Why’s he cramping? In Shanghai, I mean, that one’s more understandable because of the weather and the humidity and stuff, but is this a troubling sign that he’s cramped now two tournaments in a row? I guess not for him, I guess he played the Six Kings Slam (the exhibition tournament in Saudi Arabia that Sinner won between his Shanghai and Vienna campaigns) and it didn’t look like he cramped there, but like, that’s weird.” (from 9:47)
### Watching the French Open Final: Johnson’s Take on Sinner’s Stamina
Steve Johnson, who achieved a career-high ATP ranking of No. 21 during his playing days, also recalled Jannik Sinner’s performance in the epic 2025 French Open final. That match, lasting five hours and 29 minutes, is widely considered one of the best tennis battles ever played.
Despite ultimately falling short against Carlos Alcaraz, Sinner mostly avoided cramping throughout the match. Johnson noted that the minor cramps Sinner experienced in the decisive fifth set were largely due to the intense tension and pressure of the moment, rather than any serious underlying physical condition.
“Like, the guy’s played six hours. We’ve watched him play the French Open final. He cramped a little bit in the fifth set, but like, that’s a lot of pressure, anxiety and a lot of tennis to be played,” Johnson explained.
He added that even when cramping, Sinner still appears to be on another level compared to his peers.
“But even when he’s cramping he’s the best tennis player in the world,” Johnson stated confidently.
### What’s Next for Jannik Sinner?
Jannik Sinner’s next competitive appearance is at the ongoing Paris Masters. The Italian is the No. 2 seed and will begin his campaign with a second-round match against Zizou Bergs.
Tennis fans will be eager to see if Sinner can stay clear of cramping issues and continue his strong run at this important Masters event.
https://www.sportskeeda.com/tennis/news-jannik-sinner-s-cramping-issues-weird-says-american-ex-pro-raises-concerns-italian-s-vienna-open-triumph
