Some of the play at the 2025 Internazionali BNL d’Italia was delayed by rain, which halted live match play for extended stretches. With no indoor courts available at the Foro Italica, television broadcasters were left scrambling to fill the airtime. While it’s always disappointing when tennis matches aren’t played as scheduled, those unplanned pauses offer a rare glimpse into how some of the sport’s top professionals spend that downtime while waiting for the skies to clear.
One such scene was Jannik Sinner, who was playing an impromptu game with other members of his team. A tennis ball was rolled from the top of a short flight of stairs down a hallway, where it rebounded off an unseen wall before rolling back to the sender. The object was obviously to get it as close as possible to the top of the stairs without rolling down.
This type of game falls into the broad category of a proximity challenge. The goal is to stop an object as close as possible to a defined location. Precision roll games are great in a tennis setting because they echo some of the same fine motor control skills and touch that players use for ball control and placement on the court. It also checks the box of “idle fun” while also exercising the athletic competitive spirit. This particular game doesn’t burn much energy, but still keeps the player focused and engaged with an on-court relevant skill.
I’m not sure if there is an official name for this game, but I’ve elected to call it “Edgeball.” This clip also offers a glimpse into Sinner’s team culture and dynamics, which are filled with laughter, teasing, and competitive rivalry on full display. While tennis may be an individual sport on paper, success is often fueled by a tightly knit support crew that knows how to keep things relaxed and light.
Moments like these remind us that even during rain delays, the competitive spirit never rests. “Edgeball” may be improvised fun, but it can be leveraged to keep players sharp and engaged. It is something recreational players can also use to maximize their performance and enjoyment of tennis.
