World No.1 Jannik Sinner expressed his gratitude to his loving parents and family for always backing him amid hectic ATP schedule. Sinner, who left his home at an early age of 13, has made all the sacrifices to become the player he is today.
However, the support of his family has played an instrumental role in his success. After winning the Mutua Madrid Open, Sinner became the first player to win five consecutive ATP 1000 Masters titles after winning the Mutua Madrid Open, a feat which even the Big Three – Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic – failed to achieve in their glorious careers.
“I consider myself very lucky. Lucky because, when I was 13, I made a choice to leave home and to go to a centre to practise,” Sinner said in the post-match press conference. “I think this for parents is very difficult, especially for a mother, to accept that in a way, to just go and leave home. I think it was tough for me, but it was for sure more tough for my parents because they also would like to see the kid growing up.”
Sinner admitted how he has missed spending quality time with his family being away on the tour.
“It’s definitely a little bit [like] I missed out a little bit of time, spending time with my parents. I would like to catch up as much as I can,” the 28-time tour-level champion said. “Obviously at home, grandma and grandpa, the parents of my mum, they’re still both alive. I understand her very much that she wants to stay at home and spend as much time as possible with them. But I also would like to have more time with family.”
The Italian said it is great to see his rival Carlos Alcaraz traveling with his family on the tour.
“It’s great to see Carlos, for example, travelling with family and his brother, and I think he’s doing very well,” Sinner said. “Because when somebody is not there anymore, then you regret it. So hopefully I can have some more time with my parents and the people I love, and also with my brother and friends. Because things can change.
“[My mother] is definitely a role model, and I’m very happy to have my mum, and very happy to have my dad, and they are a true inspiration for me. I just try to be a little bit like them, because then I know that I’m a good person.”
Sinner will next play in the Italian Open.
