‘He’s Trying So Hard’ – Alexander Zverev’s ‘Cringe’ Jannik Sinner Statement at Italian Open Infuriates Tennis Fans

The Italian Open winner, Alexander Zverev, failed to lighten up the mood after his victory in Rome. While fans celebrated his second title in Rome, they were not particularly amused by Zverev’s humor in his post-win speech. Especially as it included Italy’s favorite tennis player and World No. 2 Jannik Sinner.

Alexander Zverev is currently celebrating his first victory since his semifinal exit from the French Open 2022. Naturally, the Chilean player was found in good spirits after the victory. “It means a lot,” said the former World No. 2 after lifting his trophy. He further added, “Rome is a very special place for me. A very, very special week.” But, amid the celebrations and glory of success, the 27-year-old player’s attempt to lighten the mood with humor didn’t sit right with the fans. Rather, it made for an awkward moment.

It happened when he addressed the audience in his post-match speech the two-time Rome champion jokingly introduced himself as Sinner. “Buongiorno everyone, My name is Jannik,” Zverev said with a big smile on his face as he celebrated victory on the turf that Sinner would have been desperate to achieve glory on. His comments on Sinner during the Italian Open are not new. Right after his semifinal match against Tabilo, he made a similar remark to the Italian tennis pro, Jannik Sinner. 

This is because he thought, “Normally the crowd always wants the underdog to do good, the underdog to win. I really felt like they were behind me so much. It helps. I really appreciate it.” Although, he further continued and said, “I would not replace Jannik, but maybe for this week, if they can see it like that, I’m happy about that.”  

The Italians’ love for Jannik Sinner has been visible a lot of times during his career. However, right now, he is away from the tournament because of a hip injury. But in the past, the tennis world has seen a glimpse of the appreciation he has received from his countrymen during his ATP finals in Turin last year and also during his last Italian Open tournament. Therefore, when Alexander Zverev joked about replacing Sinner and attracting all the love from the Italian crowd, some fans found him desperate to be funny.

Zverev’s victory comments spark fans ire as he mentions Sinner

One fan wrote on X, “ZVEREV always tries hard to look funny but he’s not. He should stop with these cringe jokes.” Like the fan hinted, this is not the first time that he made a cringe joke. It happened when he won a gold medal at the US Open too. When asked about whether he will wear it in private or not, he said, “I don’t have a girlfriend, I don’t have anybody next to me, so the gold medal obviously sleeps next to me instead, which is very good.” This comment further stirred controversies and fans were rather shocked than considering it funny.

Another fan wrote, “Hes trying so hard to be funny 😭”. The last time he tried to be funny while making a joke about Sinner, he failed miserably. Earlier this year, when asked about Sinner’s current form, he joked, “No. I think he sucks.” Although later on, he appreciated him for his performance, the joke did not sit right with the fans even that time as well.

Another fan wrote, “Funny like a kick in the ball ahah Zverev cringe poor man.” His joking session regarding players is not confined to Sinner only. Last time when he joked about Roger Federer being “lucky” as the rankings froze and the tournaments got canceled during the COVID also made headlines in the tennis world.

Another fan said, “You will never be Jannik Sinner, BOZO!” Although he was trolled for his joke about Sinner, previously Alexander Zverev has also highlighted how he appreciated Sinner’s on-court excellence. “If he keeps it like that, then he’s not only going to be No. 1 in the world, he’s going to be No. 1 in the world for the next ten years.” One fan simply wrote, “Cringe²”. However, for Zverev, he wants to enjoy to the fullest after this victory. But his focus remains the same.

With Paris on the horizon, Zverev looks to capitalize on his current form. Boasting a stellar 28-8 record and three consecutive semi-final appearances there, the French Open is a clear target. He said, “The focus is on Paris, that’s for sure. But let me enjoy this one for a day or so. And then I’ll have my full focus on Paris.” As Alexander Zverev prepares for the upcoming Roland Garros, he will no doubt hope that his tennis speaks louder than his attempts at comedy.