Sinner reveals which day he would erase from his life and talks about his rivalry with Alcaraz

Jannik Sinner is unreserved when it comes to giving long and in-depth interviews that step outside the classic mold of statements made by tennis players in the context of competition. In the midst of a long-term absence due to his knee injury, the Italian reflected deeply on aspects such as his childhood, the rivalry with Carlos Alcaraz, and how he is experiencing this stage away from the courts.

In a broad and thorough conversation with the Italian newspaper LaRepubblica, Jannik Sinner describes his routine in these last weeks when he has been unable to train on the court, talks about the moral impact this injury absence has had on him, and refers to deeper aspects related to his professional career as well as his personal life.

This is what Jannik Sinner said in an interview with LaRepubblica

How his knee recovery is progressing

"I haven't done anything out of the ordinary. If the question is what I've discovered during this period away from tournaments, the answer is nothing, although I haven't been bored either. I went to Monza to see the Formula 1 and to Milan to attend the Gucci fashion show. I've also played a bit more on PlayStation and started reading a 600-page book, Io uccido, by Giorgio Faletti". 

"I haven't been idle at all nor have I turned my back on tennis because I've been hurt. On the contrary, I've worked a lot both in the gym and on the court, in addition to working with physiotherapists. Patience is the word that best defines this period. The body is the only opponent you cannot beat: when it tells you to stop, you have to accept it and follow the advice of specialists".

The impact of injuries on his career

"Injuries are part of the sport. You have to be smart and understand how much and when to play. It's necessary to have a long-term perspective: the present is not the only thing that exists. You sow now, but the harvest comes at another time. The difference is always marked by work and preparation, not luck. Luck can help you win a point, but not a match".

What Sinner would tell his 10-year-ago self

"I would tell him what I've learned: talent without work is nothing. You have to make decisions, consider their consequences, and stay focused on your goal. I would also tell him to enjoy those moments. I have no regrets and I wouldn't advise him to change his path, but I would say to choose wisely the people he surrounds himself with".

"I don't regret anything. My family has always been by my side, and I could count on a father who also cooks very well".

His mother's relationship with tennis

"She has improved a lot. She no longer leaves the court during my matches. Her refusal to sit in the Royal Box at Wimbledon is because she doesn't want to feel observed or have the cameras focused on her while I play. She's right: she doesn't like the tension, although now she manages to be calmer".

His involvement with fashion is compatible with tennis

"It's not a competition nor are we in opposition. The world of American basketball has been paying attention to fashion for a long time, and its players care about showing their personality through clothing when they are off the court. No one is replacing anyone. I think it’s simply about different platforms and the emergence of new protagonists".

"With Gucci, I feel a special affinity. I like to differentiate myself a bit through normal, beautiful, and elegant clothing. I also like to feel comfortable, and this brand allows me to do that. I'm not an ostentatious person. Moreover, I am abstemious: I can't stand the taste of alcohol. At most, I have a bit of champagne or white wine. I could say that happiness smells like a dessert because I love sweets".

What day he would like to erase from his life

"It wouldn't be a sports moment. I wouldn't choose the loss to Alcaraz in the final in Paris in 2025 or the loss in the semifinals against Djokovic in Melbourne at the beginning of the year. It's not something that happened on the court".

"I would like to erase what I felt the day I left home. It was heartbreaking to say goodbye to my father when I was 13 and a half in Milan because our paths were separating, and I felt a bond breaking. We were parting; I cried over that separation, but he did too. I would have liked not to have to experience that day. It was too intense an emotion".

What Sinner learned from leaving home so young

"Perhaps that experience helped me find balance, although I also suffered. It made me understand that making a decision means gaining new things and losing others. There can be pain, but you also have to be aware that you cannot waste a decision that cost you so much to make. You need to do everything possible to make the most of it, without regrets, with commitment, perseverance, and hard work".

What moments in life he misses the most

"I would like to regain the purity of a winter Sunday skiing with my friends in the Dolomites. That feeling of enjoying a beautiful day doing something you love, with a group of young people who just want to have fun".

"I would also choose any moment with my family and a day of go-karting in the Cuneo area with driver Antonio Giovinazzi and cyclist Giulio Ciccone. I love speed; it’s no secret. I need adrenaline to keep boredom at bay".

The rivalry with Alcaraz and how both connect with people

"I don't know why tennis has this ability to connect with people. You'd have to ask those who watch it, not those of us who practice it. Perhaps it has to do with allowing differences to exist and valuing them". 

"Rivalries arise from those differences: you win and lose, and each person finds a reason to identify with someone who is like them or with someone they would like to be like. That's what makes tennis so fascinating".

"We are not all the same, and the contrasts make us better. Perhaps I am seen as the disciplined and stubborn champion, while Carlos represents a more Mediterranean and flamboyant profile. That’s the beautiful part: having someone who pushes you to your limits". 

"Tennis has always drawn energy from rivalries like this, from Borg and McEnroe to Sampras and Agassi, and then there came a time when a rivalry between two players became a battle among three, with Federer, Nadal, and Djokovic".

Jannik Sinner once again demonstrates maturity and intelligence in an interview and shows that behind his spectacular tennis, there is a very well-structured mind that is a key thread in his sporting successes.

This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Sinner desvela qué día borraría de su vida y habla de su rivalidad con Alcaraz