Jannik Sinner showed his true colours with 'Roger Federer never would' remark to rival

Jannik Sinner didn't hold back in expressing his frustration after one of his rivals made comments following his Grand Slam victory over them a few years ago

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Jannik Sinner is typically calm and composed on court, but from time to time, even he lets his temper slip. The Italian, who along with Carlos Alcaraz has a firm hold on tennis's biggest prizes, made his breakthrough on the world stage in 2020.

That same year, he enjoyed his first deep Grand Slam run at the French Open, advancing to the quarter-finals after earning a notable victory over Alexander Zverev in the fourth round. After losing in four sets, Zverev blamed the loss on a fever - a claim that didn't sit well with Sinner.

A few months later, the now 24-year-old criticised Zverev for "making excuses", pointing out that greats like Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal would never resort to such behaviour. "I respect him [Zverev] a lot because he's won more than me, he's got more experience on the circuit, and he's a great player," Sinner told Corriere.

"However, I do not respect his statements after his defeat to me at Roland Garros. He contradicted himself a lot. He said he had a fever, but in the third and fourth sets, he ran more than me.

"It seems to me that he was looking for an excuse after his defeat. Federer or Nadal, for example, would never have said such things."

That first meeting between the two went Sinner's way, but the early phase of their rivalry leaned in Zverev's favour. The German took the next four matches, establishing temporary dominance.

In recent years, though, the balance has shifted. Sinner won the following three contests, swinging the momentum firmly in his direction. Their most notable showdown came earlier this year in the Australian Open final - the first time they'd faced each other since Sinner had become a trophy-hoovering Grand Slam champion.

Zverev, still searching for his first major title, was eager to finally seize his moment. But Sinner had other plans, sweeping him aside in straight sets to secure his third of four Grand Slam victories.

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Both Sinner and Zverev are competing at the Paris Masters this week, each progressing to the latter stages. Zverev is the reigning champion, having lifted the trophy last year by defeating Ugo Humbert in the final. Sinner last played the event in 2023 but had to withdraw before his third-round match because of an injury.

Although Zverev, 27, is still chasing his maiden Grand Slam crown, he's come painfully close several times. He has reached three major finals - losing to Dominic Thiem at the 2020 US Open, to Alcaraz at the 2024 French Open and most recently to Sinner at the 2025 Australian Open.

Despite still striving for that breakthrough, Zverev says his motivation isn't limited to capturing a Slam. His greater ambition, he explains, is to close the gap on Sinner and Alcaraz - and he's confident that if he manages that, the wins will come naturally. "To be able to compete with Carlos and with Jannik. That's more on my mind. The titles will come if I do that," he said.

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He does, however, possess something that Sinner, Alcaraz and even Federer lack: an Olympic gold medal. Zverev earned that honour at the Tokyo 2020 Games, beating Karen Khachanov in the final and joining an exclusive list of champions that features Andy Murray (2012 and 2016), Nadal (2008) and Novak Djokovic (2024).

If Sinner and Alcaraz are the new torchbearers of men's tennis, then Zverev is the seasoned contender refusing to go down without a fight. As all three gear up for another pivotal season, one thing is certain for tennis fans: the era of youth hasn't just dawned - it's firmly taken hold.