“He’s, like, fun to watch. He’s so cute,” was the cheeky admission from Taylor Fritz‘s girlfriend Morgan Riddle. But was it for the American ATP star? No! The renowned social media influencer was seen gushing over the world no.1 Jannik Sinner‘s looks in an interview. Along with his widespread dominance on hard courts, Sinner is also praised for his good looks every now and then. While he recently surprised the home crowd by confirming his position in the top two of the ATP Finals, one of his peers tried to dig the reason behind the extended love among the fans.

Daniil Medvedev recently weighed in on Jannik Sinner’s growing fame in Italy as the two prepare to face off at the 2024 Nitto ATP Finals. Medvedev, who is set to battle Sinner in the final group stage match in Turin, acknowledged the Italian’s recognition both on and off the court. “He deserves everything: the contracts, advertisements, whatever,” Medvedev said, highlighting Sinner’s high-value marketability. “He’s a good-looking No. 1 in the world, wins a lot of tournaments. Very young, which is always attractive.” Medvedev’s statement echoed the buzz surrounding Sinner as he competes on home soil for the ultimate title.

Sitting at the top of the group after impressive straight-set victories over Alex de Minaur and Taylor Fritz, Sinner has a chance to finish the round-robin stage undefeated. However, the challenge ahead could be tough as Medvedev promises to be his toughest opponent in Turin. All four players in the Ilie Nastase Group still have a path to the semi-finals, making the next showdown a crucial test for both men. Sinner’s home crowd in Turin will surely be behind him as he looks to cap off a dominant run so far.

The head-to-head between Sinner and Medvedev has been back and forth. While Medvedev dominated their early matchups, winning six consecutive contests, Sinner has since turned the tide by winning seven of their last eight encounters. Their rivalry reached new heights this year, with the Italian defeating Medvedev in the Australian Open final in a dramatic five-set match, only for Medvedev to get revenge at Wimbledon. Despite his success against the Russian lately, Sinner remains cautious. “He’s been one of my key points in evolving myself as a player,” Sinner admitted. “Now, every match is quite open, you never know what’s going to happen.”

Medvedev also knows how difficult it is to beat Sinner, especially in Italy. Reflecting on their upcoming clash, he highlighted the importance of playing a near-perfect match to have any chance of winning. “You need to play an inch-perfect match to beat [Jannik],” Medvedev said. “From start to finish, you need to be there, you need to make him tired physically and work him out. If you are not able to do it from the start, he gets control of the match and it’s tough to break his rhythm.”

Both players are hitting peak form at the right time, with Medvedev recently cruising past de Minaur and Sinner producing a massive performance against Fritz. Their Day 5 matchup is set to be a thrilling setup with two of the world’s best players looking to secure their place in the knockout rounds of the prestigious tournament. However, Sinner isn’t always praised. One of his friends and rivals recently joked about his hair.

Alexander Zverev jokingly crashes Jannik Sinner’s ‘Best Hair’ award moment in Turin

During an interview at the ATP Finals in Turin, Jannik Sinner received an unexpected surprise when he was handed a tiny trophy for having the “best hair” of the tournament. The Italian star, after his straight-sets win over Alex de Minaur, looked confused by the honor and asked the interviewer, “I have the best hair?” As he inspected the trophy, his playful disbelief added to the lighthearted moment. But things quickly escalated when Alexander Zverev, known for his long dark locks, interrupted the interview with a hilarious protest.

Zverev, the 2024 French Open runner-up, walked into the frame and humorously questioned the award. “He has the best hair? What the hell is this? I grew my hair for three years for this award,” Zverev joked as he drew laughter from Sinner and the interviewer. The German, who has become instantly recognizable for his flowing hairstyle, briefly snatched the trophy before handing it back to Sinner, adding, “No, I’m kidding.” Still in shock from the funny exchange, Sinner playfully responded, “Now I’m not even happy anymore because Sascha took it.” The moment brought a lighthearted break to the competitive atmosphere in Turin.