Jannik Sinner: work hard, win big

Get to know the incontrovertible World No.1

When he embarked on his pro career, no one would have imagined he’d annihilate the competition and skyrocket to the top of an already crowded hierarchy. When it came to the next gen, all eyes were on Carlos Alcaraz and Holger Rune.

But Sinner squashed all skepticism by brilliantly orchestrating his success.

Born in Innichen, in the predominantly German-speaking region of South Tyrol, just a stone’s throw from the Austrian border, he didn’t seem destined for a life in tennis. Still, the champion junior skier who took home a national title in giant slalom eventually opted for the racquet sport and all the sacrifices it requires.

At the age of 13, he left home to train at Riccardo Piatti’s tennis centre in Bordighera, on the Italian Riviera. There, he gained his independence, learned to cook and fought off the loneliness by going hard in the gym and on the courts. There was no limit to his ambition, and his efforts soon started paying off.

In November 2019, after only a year on Tour, he broke through at the prestigious ATP Next Gen Finals in Milan, where he utterly dominated Alex de Minaur of Australia in the final to raise the championship trophy.

Unfailing effort

His exploit left many experts in awe, but Sinner still had a lot of work to do. His serve wasn’t the weapon it could be, his volleys were stilted and derivative, and his form didn’t allow him to unleash enough striking power.

Read: Sinner Arrives in Montreal to Begin NBO Prep

So he got to work. Long and ultra-focused training sessions elevated his serve and especially his second serve, made him a threat at the net and gave him the muscle mass he needed to blast unattainable forehands and get one step closer to the Baywatch body of his dreams.

As luck would have it, this newly acquired arsenal emphasized many of his inherent qualities: his unflappable calm, his ability to regroup after an error and his extraordinary determination. Very few tennis players can tap into such a refined tennis IQ and the perseverance to keep fighting until the very last point.

And there’s no stronger evidence of that than the final of the 2024 Australian Open. Despite being down two sets, he dug deep and dismantled Daniil Medvedev.

Climb to the top

For Jannik, progress has been quick and incremental, from No.10 to No.9, No.8, No.7, No.6., No.4. No.3., No.2 and No.1, skipping only the fifth rung on the ATP ladder.

The Masters 1000 title he secured last summer at the National Bank Open presented by Rogers in Toronto was the first in a series of remarkable wins.

At the end of the year, he toppled Novak Djokovic in the round-robin ATP Finals to book his ticket for the final (where the Djoker exacted revenge) and then kicked off 2024 with his first Slam in Melbourne. He dominated at the Miami Masters 1000, ABN AMRO Open in Rotterdam and Halle Open and became a national hero when he ousted Djokovic and led the Italian squad to the Davis Cup title.

On June 10, 2024, with a 42-4 record this season and 4 shiny new titles in his trophy case in addition to the 10 he already had, Jannik Sinner was crowned World No.1—a position he doesn’t intend to relinquish any time soon.

Tonsilitis took him out of the Paris Olympics, but he’s fully recovered and ready to defend his title at the National Bank Open presented by Rogers in Montréal, where’s he’s the top seed on a surface he excels on. Darren Cahill and Simone Vagnozzi’s protégé is most definitely the one to watch.

Fun facts

• Jannik’s father is a celebrated chef who worked at a South Tyrol ski lodge. According to his son, he cooks up the most delicious dinners.
• When it comes to his personal life, Sinner’s always been tight-lipped. He’s currently in a happy love match with Russian ace Anna Kalinskaya.
• He was deeply affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. To support his hard-hit home country, he made several donations to Bergamo-based organizations to help all those affected.
• The ATP thinks Jannik is pretty cool, too. He was named ATP Newcomer of the Year in 2019 and Most Improved Player of the Year and Fan Favorite in 2023.
• The No.1 speaks Italian and English, and his first language is German.
• Andrey Rublev said he’s never heard a bad word about Jannik Sinner from any of their ATP colleagues. A great champion and a great guy.