Jannik Sinner lifts lid on gaming sessions with 'good friend' Gianluigi Donnarumma after making Miami Open quarters
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Published 27/03/2024 at 11:40 GMT
Tennis world No. 3 Jannik Sinner met last week with the Italy football team and was seen talking with head coach Luciano Spalletti, legendary former goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon and current goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma. Sinner has spoken about his relationship with Donnarumma, as well as why he has to apologise to his physio following his latest win at the Miami Open.
Two-time finalist Sinner storms into quarter-finals - Miami Open highlights
Jannik Sinner has revealed that he sometimes plays video game Call of Duty with Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma and enjoyed the "amazing experience" of meeting the national team.
World No. 3 Sinner met with the Italy squad and the coaching staff in Miami last week ahead of their international friendlies against Venezuela and Ecuador.
He was seen in conversation with head coach Luciano Spalletti as well as legendary former goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon and current No. 1 Donnarumma.
Earlier this year, Donnarumma posted on social media his excited reaction to his fellow Italian Sinner winning the Australian Open.
Sinner has now spoken about the relationship he has with the Paris Saint-Germain goalkeeper.
"I'm quite a good friend of Donnarumma and sometimes we play Call of Duty together," Sinner told Tennis Channel following his fourth-round win at the Miami Open against Christopher O’Connell.
"Now a little bit less but we have always been in contact. He's a really nice man."
Asked about meeting the Italian team, Sinner added: "I had the chance to talk to the players, which was really nice. The coach, really nice. I think it was just an amazing experience from my side, you know.
"It is something different. I like to do also stuff not only in tennis, but off the court I love to be in sport environments like you know, football and then if I have a chance, then I would like to see once the NBA."
Carlos Alcaraz was in attendance at an NBA game on Tuesday evening following his win over Lorenzo Musetti.
Alcaraz and Sinner remain on track to meet in a blockbuster final in Miami.
Sinner, whose only loss of the year was against Alcaraz in Indian Wells, next faces Andy Murray’s conqueror Tomas Machac in the quarter-finals.
It will be the first career meeting between Sinner and Machac.
Sinner had some apologising to do to his physio Giacomo Naldi after his win over O'Connell.
Early in the second set, Sinner reached for a serve out wide and it hit the edge of his racquet and caught Naldi in a sensitive area between the legs.
"I hurt him. I still have to apologise," said Sinner afterwards.
"I hit him with the frame because the serve was in and with the frame the ball went straight to him and in a really important point of our human being. I feel sorry for him, but hopefully it’s going to be all good."
Alcaraz reached the quarter-finals with victory over Lorenzo Musetti.
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