“A huge disappointment,” Jannik Sinner said as he announced his withdrawal from the Paris Olympic Games. The Italian sensation has been in the form of his life this year, winning the Australian Open along with a host of other big titles. However, just ahead of the Olympics, he suffered from tonsillitis and was advised by his doctors to pull out of the mega-event. Sinner’s loss was Novak Djokovic’s gain as he went on to win the elusive Olympic gold medal. As a result, a renowned former tennis star snubbed Sinner for Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz.

Djokovic went on to defeat Alcaraz in the summit clash which was an enthralling contest. 84-year-old Nikola Pilic, who also serves as Djokovic’s mentor, lauded the Serb’s victory while snubbing Sinner for the duo who played the Olympic final. During an interview with Tennis Magazin, he said, “Carlos is a very mature talent, the most mature of his generation. I also have a lot of sympathy for Jannik Sinner, but Carlos is simply the greater talent for me. He is very active and plays incredible tennis.”

Not only did Pilic laud Alcaraz’s maturity but also praised his mentee Djokovic, who overcame a disappointing start to the season to get back to his best in Paris. He went on to add, “But Novak, the old master, is just still a different caliber. I don’t want to be subjective here, but he has been awarded World Athlete of the Year five times. This is not my subjective opinion, independent bodies have decided that. This stands for itself and is something very special.”

Meanwhile, Sinner was due to play in the Paris Olympic Games but withdrew at the 11th hour. He announced his decision on social media and was left saddened by his unfortunate exit.

Jannik Sinner’s ‘main goal’ came crashing

When the seedings for the Olympic Games were announced, Sinner was the top seed, followed by Djokovic and Alcaraz. However, the Italian star pulled out just ahead of the draw ceremony and Djokovic took his place as the top seed while Alcaraz got the second seeding. Meanwhile, Sinner made his feelings felt in an emotional post on his official Twitter handle.

The Italian said, “I am saddened to inform you that unfortunately I will not be able to participate in the Paris Olympic Games. After a good week of clay training I started to feel unwell. I spent a couple of days resting and during a visit the doctor found tonsillitis and strongly advised me against playing… It was one of my main goals for this season. I couldn’t wait to have the honour of representing my country in this very important event.”

Nonetheless, he is back up and running ahead of the hard-court season. Sinner will be seen in action at the Canadian Open, where he is the top seed.