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As the Australian Open gears up to capture the attention of the country – and the world – once again, Aussies are finding new favourites amid the sea of spectacular players.
Italian player Jannik Sinner is the current obsession. Especially after he challenged and defeated World No 1 Novak Djokovic in the Aus Open Semi-Final in Melbourne last year.
The pair previously played against one another in the Davis Cup Semi-Final in 2023, with Sinner coming out on top over Djokovic in that match.
He triumphed over Djokovic once again at the Aus Open in 2024, beating him within four sets. He won the first two by a landslide before a close third-set tie-break saw Djokovic come out on top. This led to a quick fourth and final set.
He then went on to defeat Daniil Medvedev in a five-set final, coming back from two sets down to win his first major title. He followed by winning the US Open and ATP Finals to finish the year as the dominant world No. 1. So it come’s as no surprise that all eyes are on the star as we look towards the Australian Open.
As we prepare to watch he first game, here’s everything you need to know.
Who is Jannik Sinner?
Born in August 2001 in Northern Italy, Jannik is just 23 years old. He’s one of the top young stars on the ATP Tour and is currently ranked No 1 (no big deal).
He’s won 18 titles in his short time on the court, with semi-finals at Wimbledon 2023 and Australian Open 2024. According to the ATP, his career winnings so far amount to more than $37 million.
His career began in 2016 on the ITF Junior Circuit, though he quickly progressed to the ITF Men’s Circuit in early 2018 before receiving wild cards for the ATP Challenger Tour later that same year.
He won his first ATP Challenger Title in Bergamo in 2019, at just 17 years old. He went on to enter the European Open as a wild card, becoming the youngest player in five years to reach an ATP Semi Final. Thanks to his performance in 2019, Sinner finished the year at world No 78 – making him the youngest player in the year-end top 80 since Rafael Nadal in 2003.
Who is Jannik Sinner’s coach?
Since 2019, Sinner has worked his way up the rankings to be World No 1 – with the help of his long-term mentor Simone Vagnozzi. He’s also now being coached by Darren Cahill, a former mentor of Lleyton Hewitt, Andre Agassi and Simona Halep.
“He (Cahill) has coached so many players, bringing them to No.1 in the world also, so all different players,” Sinner has said of his Coach. “So I truly believe that he is one of the best coaches ever in this sport.”
Jannik’s team also consists of his physio, Giacomo Naldi, and his fitness coach, Umberto Ferrara.
“I would describe my team as nice people, happy people,” Sinner told the ATP Tour in 2024. “Everyone knows very well what he has to do. I feel good with them and lucky to have them, so I think it is a very good team.”
Who is Jannik Sinner’s girlfriend?
Jannik is currently dating Russian tennis player Anna Kalinskaya, who previously dated Nick Kyrigios. The couple were first linked in May 2024 and the Italian tennis star confirmed their relationship in a press conference a few months later. “Yes, I’m with Anna, but we keep everything very confidential. I won’t say more,” he told media.
In an interview with Vanity Fair Italia, Jannik spilled a few more details about the romance again but confirmed that he prefers to keep his relationship out of the spotlight. “I want to protect the people closest to me, keeping them out of this,” he said. “I see it as a small task to carry out, almost a duty: they helped me, when I was young, to gain self-confidence, and today in some way I want to protect them.”
Jannik was previously in a relationship with model Maria Braccini for around three years, but again, the pair opted to keep their relationship largely out of the public eye.
“Whether or not I am with a girl will never be known on social media, because I want to keep my private life private,” Sinner has previously said.
“I don’t need to post a photo to show whether I’m engaged. I never posted pictures with my parents, maybe one with my brother.”
Instead, Sinner dedicates his socials to his love of the game and his blossoming career.
From his Gucci photo-shoot, to his fond memories with Roger Federer, Sinner shares incredible snaps with his followers.
