Sinner repents after hitting physio where it hurts

Peter Staples/ATP Tour

Jannik Sinner had some serious apologising to do Tuesday to his physio Giacomo Naldi.

In the second game of the second set of his match against Christopher O’Connell at the Miami Open presented by Itau, the Italian reached out wide in the Ad court to return a serve and instead of finding the court, mishit the ball into Naldi’s most sensitive area.

Friendly fire 🥜🤣@janniksin hits his physio with a wayward return... 😆#MiamiOpen pic.twitter.com/JB1vfYJ6v8

— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) March 26, 2024

“I hurt him. I still have to apologise,” Sinner said in his post-match interview. “I hit him with the frame because the serve was in and with the frame the ball went straight to him and in a really important point of our human being. I feel sorry for him, but hopefully it’s going to be all good.”

Naldi was okay, which Sinner agreed was most important. The physio has been part of the team since last February and met Sinner in October 2022. He is from Bologna and met the No. 3 player in the PIF ATP Rankings when he visited Naldi’s clinic because of an ankle injury.

That was not the only notable moment of the match. At one point, a fan in the crowd fainted. Sinner quickly rushed to have drinks and a towel sent up to the fan.

A helping hand 🤗@janniksin helping out a fan who was taken ill during his match@MiamiOpen pic.twitter.com/yekb5geecS

— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) March 26, 2024

The reigning Australian Open champion advanced 6-4, 6-3 and will next play Czech Tomas Machac.