"Nobody had a phone... you arrive at 5:15, parents get p**sed" - Jannik Sinner chronicles his upbringing and how he juggled tennis, football, skiing
Jannik Sinner recently shared never-before-known details of his upbringing. During the conversation, the World No. 1 revealed how he spent his childhood with his parents and grandparents, juggling tennis, skiing, and football.
Sinner, who was raised in Innichen, a South Tyrolean village nestled in the Dolomites, recently visited his hometown to celebrate his rise to World No. 1. Just before addressing his home crowd during the ceremony, Sinner noted that it was uncommon to be a tennis player in the Alpine region of Italy.
"If you imagine coming from here (is) a tennis player, it’s very, very strange," he was heard as saying in a recent video for the ATP.
Speaking of his upbringing in a working household, Jannik Sinner said he grew up under the watchful eye of his grandparents, who lived next door.
"I went home to my parents’ place, but my parents place, they were always working so I have my house here and here (on the opposite side) is my house with my grandma and grandpa. And they were, they always cooked for me," he said.
Although Sinner started playing tennis as a seven-year-old, he mainly pursued skiing and football at the time. He shifted his focus solely to the racquet sport when he turned 13.
"And then after, you know, I had to wear the ski because I went skiing immediately from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. And then twice a week I was playing tennis and that was it," he recalled.
The World No. 1 added that he made do with playing football on the tennis court.
"And sometimes I also played football because we had football practice on the tennis court."
He hilariously confessed to getting a scolding from his parents if he returned late, with no means of communication at the time.
"And nobody of us had a phone. And the parents, they said, ‘look at 5 p.m. you should be at home.’ And sometimes, you know, you arrive at 5:15 p.m. and then the parents, they get p**sed a little bit," Jannik Sinner said, laughing.
Jannik Sinner previously credited his parents for his success and his "relaxed" personality
Jannik Sinner moved out of his parents' house when he was 14 to pursue his tennis ambitions at Riccardo Piatti’s academy.
The Italian has been on a roll this season, having already won three titles, including the Australian Open. He honored his “perfect” parents during his winner’s speech at the tournament by noting that they never pressured him, which was integral to his success.
"They always gave me, they never put pressure on myself, which for me is maybe the key why I'm here today. I'm a very relaxed man, who just enjoys to play tennis. I'm 22 years old, so I also enjoy to do normal stuff. And that's it, they are the perfect parents," he said at the Australian Open.
Jannik Sinner is currently bidding for his maiden grasscourt title at the ATP 500 in Halle. He has set up a clash with Fabian Marozsan in the second round after a comeback win against Tallon Griekspoor in the opener.