Sinner’s “small down”: Eyeing Miami, the clay season, and workload to find his spark again
After a surprising three-set exit in Doha, the World No. 2 remains unphased by a temporary dip in form.
Jannik Sinner, Doha 2026 | © Qatar Exxson Mobil Open
After a two-year ascent that felt almost unstoppable, Jannik Sinner has finally hit a pocket of turbulence. His quarterfinal exit in Doha at the hands of Jakub Mensik – a 7-6(3), 2-6, 6-3 defeat – marks a rare moment of vulnerability for the World No. 2. Yet, for Sinner, this isn’t a crisis; it is a “down” period in a long-term evolution. Kind of anticipated, he said after the match.
The loss against Mensik wasn’t merely about shot-making; it was a reflection of the “new things” Sinner is attempting to bake into his DNA. Tactically, Sinner has been pushing to increase his aggression, specifically by flattening out his first serve and seeking the net earlier in rallies to shorten points.
“I am trying to insert some new things into my game”, Sinner confirmed. “Today they didn’t work as I hoped, but you have to try them in matches to understand where to improve. Not every day is the same, and today was a complicated day.”
Sinner lowers his “Under pressure” scores
This aggressive shift backfired during crucial “out of comfort zone” moments. Sinner showed up an usual lack of mental clarity, particularly in the third set where his service mechanics – recently modified to generate more momentum – faltered under pressure.
Mensik capitalized on this, winning 83% of points behind his own first serve and forcing Sinner into tactical errors that the Italian rarely commits when playing his “standard” game.
The dip in results is partly due to this technical transition. When a player of Sinner’s caliber tinkers with his service motion or tactical patterns, “Under Pressure ratings” – where Sinner led the tour for two years – naturally fluctuate ; he’s now number 3 based on the latest 52 weeks.
His recent loss to Djokovic in Melbourne, where he converted only 2 of 18 break points, highlighted a temporary lack of clinical edge during this transformative phase.
“Now we have two weeks to work, also from a physical point of view, before Indian Wells and Miami”
Sinner remains unbothered by the noise. With the “Sunshine Double” approaching, he looks toward Miami – a tournament where he has historically thrive – as the venue to stabilize these new tactics. Beyond that, the real test looms on the horizon: the clay season.
“Now we have two weeks to work, also from a physical point of view, before Indian Wells and Miami” he said in Doha. “Usually, I struggle a bit more at Indian Wells, while I have always felt good in Miami. I am calm because I know what I have to do to return to my level. I hope to do it as soon as possible.”
“One of my biggest goals for 2026 will be Roland-Garros,” Sinner noted in Qatar, mentionning the only Grand Slam that he didn’t win. “But it’s far…”.
“It is normal to go through difficult moments”, Sinner concluded. “I come from two incredible years where almost everything went well. Now I am experiencing a small ‘down,’ but it is not something that worries me or takes away my sleep. I have already had moments like this in the past and I have always found the way to return. In work, as in life, there are highs and lows. Today I wasn’t at my best, but we must also give credit to the opponent, who served very well.”
