World No. 1 Jannik Sinner was taken aback when the first question at his pre-Roland Garros press conference focused not on tennis, but on his personal life.
Returning to the French Open for the second time since his three-month suspension—settled through a controversial agreement with the World Anti-Doping Agency—Sinner expected questions about the tournament. Instead, a Danish reporter asked about recent photos of him walking in Copenhagen with a girl.
“There was no girl,” Sinner said with a smile. “I just had some business, some photo shoots there. That’s it—nothing else.”
The Australian Open champion responded with poise and good humor, showing more patience than some athletes might in a similar situation. Sinner has been the subject of ongoing speculation about his private life, especially since being photographed with Russian model Lara Leito during his suspension. At the Italian Open, he addressed those rumors directly by clarifying he wasn’t in a relationship.
While he handled the Rome press conference on his own terms, the Paris question clearly caught him off guard. Still, the 23-year-old managed to brush it off with grace—though it seems he can’t appear in public with a woman without sparking rumors.
Meanwhile, Iga Swiatek, a four-time Roland Garros champion, showed less tolerance for offbeat questioning. When asked if the tournament offered an emotional lift after a tough season, Swiatek bristled, saying she didn’t need one. While the question may have been innocently intended, her reaction reflected a shared frustration among top athletes with media narratives that drift from the court.
Back to the tennis: Sinner looked calm and confident ahead of his Roland Garros campaign. After an impressive return at the Italian Open—where he reached the final before falling to rival Carlos Alcaraz—he’s considered one of the top contenders in Paris. Alcaraz leads the list of favorites, with Novak Djokovic, Alexander Zverev, and Casper Ruud also in the mix.
With the drama off the court now addressed, Sinner’s focus is firmly on adding a fourth Grand Slam title to his growing collection.
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