Already a world star: Jannik Sinner from the tranquil Sexten. © AFP / FAYEZ NURELDINE

A Puschtra becomes a world star: The Jannik Sinner story

Jannik Sinner made history once again on Sunday: After two Grand Slam titles, the Sexten golden boy has now triumphed at the ATP Finals. But what makes the 23-year-old tick? We have profiled him.

18 November 2024

Whatever you click on, whatever you browse through and wherever you listen: these days there is only Jannik Sinner everywhere. No matter whether in the newspapers (the Journal of Sport dedicated the entire front page to him on Monday), in the Facebook or Instagram feeds, even when chatting with the electrician who is repairing the lamp in the hallway: Sinner is omnipresent. This is precisely why looking back to January 20, 2010 has something surreal about it. On that day, Sinner's name appeared for the first time in the daily newspaper Dolomites – and it was probably the first time he had ever been mentioned in a newspaper.

The strange thing about the whole thing: It wasn't a tennis tournament where Jannik Sinner was mentioned. Rather, the title was: "500 VSS ski kids give it their all across South Tyrol." On that January weekend - Sinner was eight and a half years old - the curly-haired boy from Sexten took second place in an U9 district race. Who would have thought that a decade and a half later, this ski kid would become the best tennis player in the world?

Jannik Sinner with the winner's trophy of the ATP Finals. © ANSA / ALESSANDRO DI MARCO

Sinner is often asked about his skiing past in interviews or on TV shows. And who knows, with his talent, his ambition, his attention to detail, the Sextner might have caused a sensation in the white circus. But Sinner decided to play tennis – and now, at 23, he is an absolute world star who has already won two Grand Slam tournaments and the ATP Finals. And who has been number 1 on the planet since June.

At the age of 13 he left home and conquered the tennis world

Sinner is someone who knows what he wants. Because not everyone - or rather not many - would leave their home in the idyllic Sesto Dolomites behind them at the age of 13, part with friends, forego their mother's delicacies in order to work towards a professional career in Bordighera on the Ligurian coast . At that time, his knowledge of Italian was still modest, but Sinner spoke the language of tennis better than most others. “Jannik had won his first tournament, but he couldn’t count the points yet. He was five years old back then,” said his first coach Andreas Schönegger.

A happy family: Jannik Sinner (far right) with brother Mark, mom Siglinde and dad Hanspeter (from left). © ANSA / ALESSANDRO DI MARCO

With Riccardo Piatti, Sinner found the ideal teacher in Bordighera. The tennis guru immediately recognized the Pusterer's enormous talent and became Jannik's foster father. Under Piatti's wing, Sinner's seed slowly began to blossom and finally fully blossomed in November 2019, when the South Tyrolean surprisingly won the NextGen ATP Finals, the U21 World Championship. Five years later, Sinner won the title among the "big ones" - also because he had now found a perfect team for himself. In 2022, the superstar parted ways with coach Riccardo Piatti and has since worked with (the previously rather unknown) Simone Vagnozzi and the Australian Darren Cahill.

Darren Cahill (left) and Simone Vagnozzi made Sinner into a superstar. © APA/afp / KENA BETANCUR

A duo with whom Sinner harmonizes perfectly. And who were a huge support to him even in his darkest moments - the doping scandal, for example. Fans got to see what Sinner is made of at the US Open. The doping case became public a few days before the tournament began - and the South Tyrolean was hit with an enormous amount of criticism. Others would have been broken by it, but Sinner only got stronger and won the tournament in impressive fashion.

The small gestures inspire

The hype surrounding Jannik Sinner has long since reached stratospheric proportions. Sponsors are fighting over him, journalists from all over the world are lining up, fans are screaming his name, his smile is beaming from the covers of glossy magazines. But despite all this fuss, you always get the feeling that the 23-year-old has always remained the down-to-earth, humble Puschtra Bui. It is mainly with the small gestures that he enchants thousands of fans: Jannik meets people at eye level, politely says please and thank you, somehow always finds the right words and always thinks of his family in Sexten after victories. You could see how proud dad Hanspeter, mom Siglinde and brother Mark are last week when the three of them were there live in Turin - a rarity.

The masses are crazy about Sinner. © ANSA / Alessandro Di Marco

Sinner, who has been living in Monte Carlo for some time, is not often at home anymore. His tennis calendar is too tight and his schedule is too full. That is precisely why he makes the most of his time when he can be with his loved ones. When he is in his homeland of South Tyrol, then Sinner also visits the training of the young Bruneck footballers, indulges his passion for skiing on the Kronplatz or puts his foot on the gas while go-karting with friends.

After losing his first Grand Slam semifinal in Wimbledon in front of millions of viewers against Novak Djokovic in the summer of 2023 - not so long ago - Sinner spent a cozy evening with friends at Lake Kaltern the following evening. In a way, Jannik Sinner is just a normal boy.