Patrick Mouratoglou defends Jannik Sinner's decision to skip Davis Cup Finals

World No 2 Sinner was a key part of Italy's back-to-back Davis Cup triumphs in 2023 and 2024, with the nation looking to become the first since 1971 to win three straight titles at the men's team event.

However, the four-time Grand Slam champion will not be in action in this year's Davis Cup Finals in Bologna, held from November 18-23, with the likes of Lorenzo Musetti and Flavio Cobolli set to spearhead the home nation's quest.

Sinner was not included in captain Filippo Volandri's squad when the team was announced earlier this week, and has since revealed that his decision is designed to give him more time to prepare for 2026 and his title defence at the Australian Open next January.

The 24-year-old's defence has sparked a mixed reaction; while former Italian stars Adriano Panatta and Paolo Bertolucci defended his decision, Italian icon Nicola Pietrangeli described it as a "slap in the face" for Italian sport.

However, reigning Australian Open and Wimbledon champion Sinner has now found another high-profile backer in the form of Mouratoglou.

Taking to his LinkedIn page on Friday, the Frenchman claimed it was "a good thing" that players had freedom to make such choices amid the crowded tennis calendar.

He wrote: "Leave Jannik Sinner alone.

"That's what I've been telling people since he announced he would skip the Davis Cup, at home.

"I've read that he might even skip Paris to focus on the ATP Finals even if that no longer seems to be relevant today, based on his latest quote in Vienna. And yes, to some people, that sounds shocking, especially when you see him play an exhibition but not a Masters 1000 or the Davis Cup.

"But let's take a step back.

"I actually think it's a good thing. Not that he skips Davis Cup specifically, but that top players today finally have the freedom to make their own choices.

"For too long, tennis players have been living under a mandatory schedule. But players aren't machines. They know their bodies. They know when to push, when to rest, and when it's time to protect their future."

The Davis Cup Finals will take place at the end of the 2025 season, with the quarter-finals, semi-finals, and finals all held within the space of six days.

The format of the Finals has continued to attract criticism, as the event continues to move away from the traditional 'home and away' format that was previously used across all stages of the event, including the final; it is now reserved solely for the qualifying stage.

And, Mouratoglou suggested that the "prestige" of the event had changed in recent years, with the timing of the event also not conducive to Sinner's participation.

He added: "Davis Cup is a beautiful event, but it's not what it used to be. It's changed a lot, it's lost some of its prestige, and it comes at the very end of an exhausting season.

"Physically and emotionally, it's one of the hardest events in the sport, especially when you're your country's No 1, and the pressure of victory sits on your shoulders.

"So yes, I understand the disappointment of Italian fans. But I also understand Jannik's decision. He's earned the right to choose what's best for him, and that should be respected."

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