Watch: Jannik Sinner shares special moment as home fans chant his name after ATP Finals win
Jannik Sinner opened his 2023 ATP Finals campaign with a big win over Stefanos Tsitsipas, much to the delight of a packed home crowd.
The Italian dropped only eight games en route to a decisive 6-4, 6-4 victory. Sinner first played at the ATP Finals as an alternate entry in Turin last year, before qualifying for the year-end championships after a strong showing this season.
The win over Tsitsipas was just his second at this level and the home fans were understandably overjoyed.
Sinner shared a special moment with the crowd after the match as they chanted his name in unison during his on-court interview. It was followed by the fans cheering him on, singing "Ole, ole, ole" and him responding with "Grazie".
Sinner spoke about the moment during his post-match press conference, saying the atmosphere was akin to that of a football match. He stressed how important the support was for him, saying it was nice to see how much people care about home players.
"Yeah, the feeling is this, yeah, it's kind of a football stadium," Jannik Sinner said. "Also with the roof closed, it's a little bit louder. It's nice. It means that the people, they really care about me."
"Playing here in Turin and also the walk-on is a little bit different because you're in the tunnel, then you see your face and everything, then you go on the court, which is quite long walk-on," he continued. "Yeah, the tournament and the atmosphere is different. It's nice to be part."
"I was excited to step on court" - Jannik Sinner on playing ATP Finals at home
Jannik Sinner elaborated on the experience of playing at home. He said that carrying the home hopes did put him under some pressure, but he was still excitied to step on court.
The Italian was quick to add that he was happy with how he managed his emotions on court, before expressing the hope that he can continue to perform like this throughout the week.
"I was excited to step on court and opening the Finals is really, really special," Jannik Sinner said. "I knew it was going to be very tough but I think I handled the situation well."
"I tried to stay aggressive and I am very happy with the performance," he continued. "I am happy to start off with a win and hopefully I can continue with this intensity."
Dubbing the ATP Finals a "special week", Sinner said he will try to stay focussed and happy on the court.
"It is a special week," Jannik Sinner said. "We play under a roof, so it is noisier and playing with this crowd is such a special feeling. I tried to be really happy on the court and really focused."