When it comes to being expressive, Jannik Sinner might not be the first player that comes to mind. The Italian World No. 1 is known for his aggressive, precise game, yet off the court, he’s often seen as hard to read. Alexander Bublik started that trend when he called Sinner “not human” back in 2021, and again dubbed him an “AI” after taking a triple breadstick loss at the 2025 US Open. But there’s more to the four-time Grand Slam champion than meets the eye.

And while he stands at the top of the sport, even he knows he’s not perfect. Posted by Tennis Channel, the World No. 2 was asked what his fans might say about his game, or what his tennis red flag would be. His reply was honest, if a little uncertain. “My red flag is…I don’t know, because you cannot see what I feel inside sometimes, I’m not that patient, even if I show it sometimes,” he said.

Hard to picture Jannik Sinner as “not that patient,” right? It’s probably because the Italian rarely clashes with umpires or players. He’s admired for his sportsmanship, often seeing the other side’s point of view and even conceding points when necessary. His calm demeanor and humble nature often come across as maturity and class, whether in victory or defeat.

The Italian’s grace is undeniably something that stands out. For instance, Andy Roddick offered a sharp take after Jannik Sinner’s 2024 US Open win, saying, “He is the most relaxed person I’ve ever seen beside Roger before a Slam final. It feels like he has this very quiet confidence about the way that he goes about things.”

The 2003 US Open champion admired how Sinner’s calm and focus stood out, especially under Grand Slam pressure. He also pointed out that Sinner’s celebrations were never extravagant or for show, more like a private sense of relief, as if the Italian was already looking ahead to the next challenge. “Even his celebrations aren’t for anyone else; it’s like this relief like okay, and you feel like he was ready to start again like an hour after the US Open, which is a problem for the rest of the earth,” he joked.

However, while he hailed for his poise, Sinner came under fire by Novak Djokovic earlier last week.

Nole reveals his thoughts on Jannik Sinner’s three-month ban and more

Novak Djokovic didn’t hold back on Piers Morgan Uncensored when asked if Sinner had received preferential treatment or knowingly used the banned anabolic substance, clostebol. The Serb said he’d known the Italian since he was “13 or 14 years old” and had always seen a bit of himself in the young star. “He always came across very genuine, very nice, very quiet, you know? Had his own world, and he didn’t really care too much about the lights of society, so to say. But he just wanted to be the best player he could be, and I liked that mentality,” he said.

When the doping saga came up, Djokovic admitted the news caught him off guard. “When this happened, I was shocked. I do think that he didn’t do it on purpose. But the way the whole case was handled is so many red flags,” he added. Sinner’s story, of course, gripped the tennis world in March 2024 when he twice tested positive for the banned substance. He maintained the traces came from a physiotherapist who had massaged him bare-handed, and in August 2024, an independent tribunal cleared him of any fault or negligence.

That verdict briefly quieted the storm, but WADA wasn’t done. The agency pushed the case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, where Sinner faced a possible two-year ban. What followed was a surprising twist: in February 2025, the Italian accepted a three-month ban after an out-of-court resolution. It wasn’t his decision alone. Reports say he was advised to take the short suspension rather than battle it out in court.

But what Djokovic argued was that the duration of Sinner’s ban and convenient timing—ensuring that he missed no Grand Slams—had less to do with fairness and more to do with Sinner’s place at the pinnacle of the sport. Djokovic believed that had Sinner not been so renowned, he would have had to serve the full two years.

Now, Sinner hasn’t spoken about the Serb’s remarks, instead channeling his full focus on defending his title at the ATP Finals in Turin. He’s already through to the semis without dropping a set against Felix Auger-Aliassime, Alexander Zverev, and Ben Shelton. He’s all set to take on Alex de Minaur on Saturday. Do you think he’ll mark another final and take home the title once again?