PICTURE: Jannik Sinner’s father Hanspeter and brother Marc make rare appearance in his player box, cheer Italian on during ATP Finals 2024 opener
Jannik Sinner enjoyed his father Hanspeter and brother Marc's support during his opening match at the 2024 ATP Finals. The World No. 1, who is on the hunt for his maiden title at the year-end championships, kicked off his campaign against Alex de Minaur.
Coming off his triumph at the Shanghai Masters, Sinner displayed his exemplary form with an impressive performance against De Minaur, beating the Australian 6-3, 6-4 in 85 minutes. Drawn in the Ilie Nastase Group, the Italian will face Taylor Fritz and Daniil Medvedev in his remaining group-stage matches as he looks to gain a coveted spot in the semifinals.
Although Jannik Sinner's parents seldom attend their son's tennis tournaments, the ATP Finals being held in Turin, Italy, allowed his father Hanspeter to make a rare appearance and cheer on the World No. 1 at the Inalpi Arena. The two-time Grand Slam champion's older brother Marc was also spotted showing his support, whom Sinner has fondly described as his best friend.
Alongside the 23-year-old's family, Italian tennis stars Jasmine Paolini and Lorenzo Sonego were also in attendance, supporting their compatriot.
Jannik Sinner is likely thrilled to have his father present at the year-end championships, as he has been open about the challenge of not getting to spend enough quality time with his parents. When Hanspeter joined the World No. 1 at the Indian Wells Masters earlier this year, the 23-year-old disclosed how special it was to have his father with him.
"I don’t want to give him too much credit, as I said it’s just special for me to have him here. I didn’t have much time to spend with him in the last years. Also with my family. Every moment I have with him is really nice. He’s an incredible chef, but also an amazing dad. That for me is much more important," Sinner said.
Jannik Sinner calls his father Hanspeter his "hero" amid ATP Finals 2024
Jannik Sinner and the other ATP Finals stars recently sat down for a group interview with Vogue, where the World No. 1 opened up about his father being his greatest inspiration for his strong work ethic, calling Hanspeter his "hero."
"My dad, because he's always hard-working. He's my hero," Sinner said.
The Italian will likely continue to enjoy his family's support as he takes on Taylor Fritz in his second round-robin match at the year-end championships, marking a rematch of the 2024 US Open final.
Despite his commanding win over Alex de Minaur, Sinner emphasized that he needed to improve his serve for his showdown with Fritz, praising the American's performance in his 6-4, 6-3 win over Daniil Medvedev.
"My serve, for sure I have to improve if I want to [win] the next match. Against Taylor [Fritz] for example, today he played really well. Let’s see, but today I’m very pleased about the win and hopefully this can give me confidence for the next one," he told the press.
Jannik Sinner enjoys a 2-1 lead in his head-to-head record against Taylor Fritz, including a 6-3, 6-4, 7-5 win in their most recent encounter in the final of the New York Major.