He doesn't consider himself too good, but just «normal». For Jannik Sinner, giving his umbrella to the ball girl, offering water to a spectator, playing soccer with a child is nothing extraordinary, but part of his way of living. Only now, there are many more cameras capturing these moments than before.
When Sinner plays: opponent, time, and where to watch the next match in the Montecarlo Atp
The "normality" of Sinner
Jannik Sinner is a normal guy. Despite becoming the world's number 2 tennis player, second only to Novak Djokovic, the 22-year-old from South Tyrol continues to lead his usual life, just with a few more cameras around. Interviewed by "Corriere della Sera", the tennis player shared how his life hasn't changed despite recent successes and fame gained. And about the "good-hearted narrative from a heartwarming book" - between loving gestures on the field and with fans - he confessed: «Well, maybe it's been a bit overdone. To me, it seemed like doing normal things: you see someone who is not well, you help; you meet a child, there's a ball, you take a few shots. I don't even think about it. It's my way of living. On the field, I'm serious, I do my rituals, but after the match, I like to joke around. That's how I am, I've always been like this: the difference is that now I have more cameras on me, more attention. And everything is amplified. But let's not exaggerate, come on.
He defines himself as a boy like any other from South Tyrol, with the same flaws as those his age, the same angers, the same dreams, the same mistakes occasionally. What has changed in recent months are not many things, except the height - «I've grown in height: 1.92/1.93, not the 1.88 that the ATP site reports» -, the muscles, and the tactics. Yes, because Jannik Sinner says he has grown especially from that point of view: «Now I can play without thinking too much, everything comes more naturally. Thinking takes away fluidity. But to achieve this, you need to trust your body and certain shots, which I didn't do well before. In the gym, only me and my team know how much work I do: the result is that I'm well, I've played all of 2023, and so far, without having problems. And even when I'm tired, I recover more quickly».
The importance of family
What hasn't changed for Jannik Sinner is also the relationship with the family: «Nothing will change: my mom continues not to watch the matches because she gets anxious, and if I call her often she doesn't answer because she's busy. My brother works, so he can't follow me. At Indian Wells, I invited my best friend: it made me happy that he came because he could see how my world and my life work. He saw that, win or lose, I'm always the same Jannik he met at school. I care about keeping the people I love close to me. Winning has a weight, but the most important thing is the affections. When I was little and my parents came back from a hard day's work, they still smiled».
The next projects
Among the tennis player's next goals are Wimbledon, Rome, and Paris between Roland Garros and the Olympics. «What intrigues me about the Olympics? The atmosphere, the fact that it only happens every four years, the sharing, meeting other athletes. I'd like to go to the stadium to watch athletics. In Tokyo, three years ago, I didn't feel ready but now everything has changed». However, he doesn't see himself as the flag bearer for Italy: «I think it's right that an athlete who has already won a gold medal does it. For me, it will be the first time at the Games, I feel I have made a significant step forward for Italian tennis together with the other blues, but honestly, the flag should be carried by someone who bases their career on the Olympics. Then if they want to give it to me, I'm happy but as a tennis player, I have the four Slams, the nine Masters 1000, the Davis Cup. For me, the Olympics is one more tournament. For others, it's the tournament,» concluded Jannik Sinner.
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