Jannik Sinner he is now one of the most famous Italian athletes in the world and yet, thanks to his confidentiality, he is less known than many other tennis players and sports champions. Here are 10 aspects and curiosities about the 22-year-old from South Tyrol that escape many:
1) SWITCH – When he was a child Jannik was already thinking about tennis even though his first sport was skiing. In his bedroom she spent hours throwing a tennis ball at a wall switch trying to turn the light on and off. His neighbor hoped he would dedicate himself completely to downhill racing.
2) COLLAR-1 – Jannik is at his best when faced with difficult situations. He said: «Fear? I tried it when I skied, I threw myself on the slopes risking breaking my neck. In tennis the worst that can happen to me is to lose a match.” Others break their necks when they play against him.
3) PARENTS – Jannik was 10 years old when his parents Hans Peter and Sieglinde took him to the Academy of Heribert Mayr and Andrea Spizzica in Sesto Pusteria for the first time. The parents said to Mayr: “This is the boy, do it.” They left and returned at the end of the lesson. When Cesare Maldini brought baby Paolo to Milan's youth team, the manager asked him: where should I let him play? And Cesare replied: if you don't know, you're the coach…” and he left. And then they say that parents don't matter.
4) COLLAR-2 In the first year of working with Piatti (he was 15 years old) he followed Riccardo to Elba where he ran a clinic. With the other students he went to the seaside. No one managed to dive by doing a somersault. He tried and hey, perfect dive with somersault. Piatti asked him how he did it and he replied: I thought about doing two somersaults. So I was certain that I would do at least one.” Then someone wonders how he can always improve.
5) DESTINY – Hans Peter and Sieglinde had resigned themselves to the idea of not being able to have children. For this reason they underwent all the lengthy procedures involved and adopted Mark. But when the matter seemed closed, Jannik arrived naturally. And then there is someone who is amazed by his ability to surprise his opponents: he has done it from the beginning. Even with his parents.
6) LOOK AT FEDERER – One day Piatti wanted to explain to Jannik the meaning of improvement. He showed him the Marseille 2000 final when Federer lost to Marc Rosset. Jannik said: «But how did he play? It doesn't look like him.” Piatti's response: “That's it.” He has learned his lesson.
7) MORE THAN FEDERER – To this day, Roger Federer is still the tennis player with the richest advertising contracts in his portfolio despite having retired almost two years ago. But there are those who undermine him: Jannik is now worth something like 60 million euros a year, excluding prizes. Which are destined to grow. At this rate he could become one of the highest paid athletes on the planet within a few months. He also learned to do smashes in management. (AGI) Sp4/Sar (Continued)
8) THE RIVALRY – In 2019 Jannik, who was appearing on the highest international stage, won 16 matches in a row. He lost the seventeenth in the Alicante Challenger against a boy younger than him who, however, was said to be very good and who Jannik had known since they were kids: his name was (and still is) Carlos Alcaraz. And then there are those who believed that historic rivalries were destined to disappear from tennis.
9) LESS STRINGS – When you watch Jannik play, what strikes you is the sound that his shots produce when hitting the ball. Thanks to his coordination in taking shots, of course. But also about the equipment he plays with and how it is… set up. Meanwhile, his rackets have fewer strings: 16 vertical and 19 horizontal versus, for example, Djokovic's 18 vertical and 20 horizontal. Almost all of his competitors play with a mix of synthetic strings and natural gut to mix strength and control: he only uses synthetic monofilament, tough stuff. And his strings are pulled at 28 kg. Try hitting a ball with a tool like this and then you will understand.
10) WOMEN – Jannik is the latest addition to the long line of tennis players (male and female) who have found their ideal traveling companion in one or a colleague, at least for the moment. After the liaison with Maria Braccini (the least visible of the influencers) Sinner is now accompanied by mutual coaching with Anna Kalinskaya, a promising Russian. Judging how successfully he chose his coaches after leaving Piatti (Vagnozzi and Darren Cahill), you can bet: even in matters of the heart Sinner doesn't fail.