Mentana Backs Sinner Amid Criticism Over Davis Cup Decision

Rome: Prominent Italian TV journalist Enrico Mentana on Wednesday defended world tennis number two Jannik Sinner from the social media criticism he has been facing. The flak comes after Sinner opted to skip the Davis Cup finals in Bologna next month to focus on the ATP Finals earlier that month in Turin and prepare for his defense of the Australian Open title in January.

According to Ansa News Agency, Mentana, a news anchor for La7 with a history at Rai and Mediaset, emphasized that the world envies Italy for having Sinner, who has significantly increased interest in tennis among young people. Mentana dismissed various criticisms directed at Sinner, including his native German-speaking background, his decision to pay taxes outside of Italy, his lucrative advertising deals, and his participation in high-paying tournaments like the recent Six Kings Slam in Saudi Arabia.

The criticism also included a broadside from consumer group CODACONS, which suggested that Sinner should be stripped of his civic honors for allegedly deserting Italy’s cause after leading the country to victory in the last two editions of the Davis Cup. Mentana countered these claims by highlighting Sinner’s influence on the sport’s growing popularity in Italy, especially among the youth, attributing this trend to Sinner’s success and influence.

Mentana expressed his support for Sinner on Instagram, defending the 24-year-old South Tyrolean native against critics. Sinner, who is currently competing for top tennis titles with 22-year-old Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz, the current world number one, has garnered both support and calls for reconsideration. While some top sports figures have defended Sinner, others are urging him to reconsider his decision and lead the Italian team in their Davis Cup defense.