Jannik Sinner gets emotional; recalls parents' "sacrifices" as mother Siglinde bursts into tears while watching him accept year-end World No. 1 trophy
Jannik Sinner made an emotional remark about his and his parents’ sacrifices as a family as they made a rare appearance in Turin. Sinner’s mother was also spotted crying as he accepted his first year-end World No. 1 trophy.
On Monday, November 11, Sinner, who is competing at the ongoing ATP Finals, was handed his maiden year-end No. 1 trophy in front of his home crowd in Turin. His family, including father Hanspeter, mother Siglinde, and brother Mark, were in attendance to witness the incredible milestone.
Jannik Sinner gave a heartwarming speech during the ceremony, addressing the Italian crowd and honoring his team and his loved ones for their unconditional support over the years. The two-time Grand Slam champion also got emotional when his achievements were celebrated with a video compilation.
His mother, too, shed some tears as his father proudly looked on. Following the ceremony, Sinner addressed the emotional moment.
"I just heard that my mom was crying, which is something very cute!" he told TennisTv.
The 23-year-old, who moved out of his parent's house to train at Riccardo Piatti’s tennis academy aged 14, also recounted the sacrifices they made as a family to provide him with the best opportunities.
"Only they know from my early stages, when I was around 13, how many sacrifices we made as a family also," he said.
"We would have never though that we’d have this [year-end World No. 1 trophy] at home at some point," Jannik Sinner continued.
The young tennis player attributed his “most special” achievement to his growth on the court and as a human being.
"You know, these are really only dreams. And then slowly you try to improve as a player, as a person and now I am standing here with one of the, if not the most special trophies I have. This is amazing because this is an achievement over 52 weeks. So I am very happy," he said.
"I wish everyone could have my parents"–What Jannik Sinner said after his maiden Grand Slam win at Australian Open 2024
After clinching his maiden Grand Slam title at the 2024 Australian Open, Jannik Sinner opened up about having “perfect” parents whose support allowed him the freedom to choose his profession.
"I wish that everyone could have my parents because they always let me choose whatever I wanted to. Even when I was younger, I made also some other sports and then they never put pressure on me and I wish that this freedom is possible for as many young kids as possible," Sinner said at Rod Laver Arena.
His father, Hanspeter, later addressed the emotional remarks, noting that he wasn’t surprised by his son’s words.
"He was like that, already good at all sports as he is good at his job. Wasn't I surprised by his words, those words about us? That's the way he is, he learned early on about work culture, commitment and humility," Hanspeter said according to La Gazzetta dello Sport.
Jannik Sinner would look to make the most of his family’s in-person support at the ongoing 2024 ATP Finals, where he is chasing his eighth title of the season and first at the tournament. After his 6-3, 6-4 victory against Alex de Minaur, he faces Taylor Fritz on Tuesday, November 12.