Jannik Sinner received a medical timeout after he was struggling with cramping during his semifinal clash with Daniil Medvedev at the Italian Open. The latter raised complaints against the same, and fans have echoed the Russian’s point of view, stating that the Italian receives special treatment.

Sinner and Medvedev locked horns with each other on May 15, 2026, where, during the match, the world no. 1 requested a medical timeout after physically struggling with cramps throughout the second set. He was seen bending over between points, trying to catch his breath, and was also seen vomiting amid the match too.

During the timeout, he received treatment on his right knee while drinking pickle juice, which is usually used by athletes dealing with cramps. This infuriated Medvedev, as according to ATP rules, players are not eligible to receive medical time-outs for cramping, and he engaged in a heated argument with the chair umpire. A video of this moment went viral, where he was seen saying:

“When we call the physio for cramps, we don’t get fined?” said Medvedev.

Medvedev’s heated exchange with the umpire

This incident did not sit right with the fans online, as they said that the Italian received ‘special treatment.’

“How embarrassing He gets special treatment all the time He is not champion he and his team are cheaters,” one of the fans wrote.

Questioning the medical timeout decision, another follower commented:

“How is Sinner allowed to decide to stop play when Medvedev was literally serving and ready to continue?”

Taking a dig at ATP for allowing a medical timeout due to cramps, one of the users on X wrote:

“ATP bends over backwards to ensure the doper wins. Any other player testing for closetebol is is punitively banned. Meanwhile, Sinner rehires his chemist & is now demonstrating unheard of stamina exceeding even the Big3. Any tennis analyst who isn’t suspicious is a fool or shill.”

Recalling the incident of Carlos Alcaraz also receiving a medical timeout due to cramps at the Australian Open, one of the fans tweeted:

“So both Charly Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner have received MTOs for cramping this year in big events. And people want me to believe that certain players aren’t given preferential treatment.”

The semifinal match was eventually suspended because of rain while the scores were at 6-2, 5-7, 4-2, with Jannik Sinner in the lead. The latter complained to the umpire that the court was getting slippery, and even though the officials initially rejected his request to stop the play, shortly after his heated argument with the chair umpire, they ordered to cover the court and suspended the match. The play will resume on Saturday, May 16.

What did Jannik Sinner say about playing for records after his Madrid Open victory? 

Before his appearance at the Italia Open, Jannik Sinner competed at the Italian Open, where he delivered a significant performance against several staunch players, including Cameron Norrie, Rafael Jodar, Arthur Fils, and more. He met Alexander Zverev in the final round and produced a dominant display of his skills, securing a straight-set (6-1, 6-2) win. This marked the first time any player had ever won five ATP Masters 1000 events in a row.

Following this victory, he spoke to the press, where he revealed that he doesn’t play for records but for himself.

“I don’t play for these records. I don’t play for records in general; I play for myself. I play for my team… because we know what’s behind [the success]. And also my family. Look, it means a lot – the great numbers – but there is a lot of discipline, a lot of sacrifice and the daily routines that I put in. I like the journey; I like to put myself in the best possible position to be the best version of myself,” said Jannik Sinner.

He added:

“I don’t play for all the records. What the other players have done in the past, and [what] Novak is still doing, it’s something incredible. And I cannot compare myself with them.”

Jannik Sinner opened his 2026 season at the Australian Open, where he lost to Novak Djokovic in the semifinal round.