Jannik Sinner is living his dream in the tennis world! The Italian No. 1 player has recently jumped up the ranking, overthrowing Novak Djokovic from the top spot. Therefore, the 22-year-old, who has already clinched his first Grand Slam this year, is on cloud nine! But who worked as an inspiration behind his remarkable achievements in tennis? Revealing his ‘idol’ from the tennis world, Jannik Sinner disclosed which player he admired the most while growing up.

When Jannik Sinner was busy vying for his career’s second Grand Slam at Roland Garros, little did he know that he would soon reach the top of the sport and make history in tennis. After Novak Djokovic (who spent 428 weeks at the top) withdrew from the semifinals in France, Sinner rose to the top and became the first Italian player to be ranked World No. 1 in tennis. Delving into this newfound glory, in a recent interview, a reporter asked him, “Which of the 28 number ones that preceded you, from Nastase (23 August 1973) onwards, inspired you the most?”

Sinner, who is a big Roger Federer fan, responded, “Every number one is very special. If I had to choose one I would say Roger Federer. I grew up when he played, I watched him a lot. I always liked how he was stylish on and off the pitch. My number one number one is Federer.”

The Australian Open Champion, who once admitted that, “No one will play his (Federer’s) style again anytime soon,” has always been vocal about his admiration for the Swiss Maestro. Federer, who himself has spent an impressive 310 weeks at the top, officially retired in 2022. And although Sinner has never played against the 20-time Grand Slam champion on-court, he once admitted how he still misses him in the tennis arena.

“I have been lucky in my life, but I miss Federer. I accept it; it’s part of the game. Official matches are no longer possible. Maybe in the future, we will face each other in an exhibition.” 

Apart from Djokovic and Federer, Rafael Nadal has also made it to the World No. 1 spot and held the position for 209 weeks! However, as the young Italian further mentioned, now is the time for younger generations to fulfill their aspirations in tennis! And clinching the top spot, Jannik Sinner confessed how he made a step towards fulfilling his dream as well!

Jannik Sinner reflects on the “incredible year” that has been 2024

With a record of 33-3 this season, Jannik Sinner has already bagged a total of three titles so far this year. And the new World No.1 will not stop anytime soon. Before he aims for his next Grand Slam, this time on grass, he wants to relish his historic feat in tennis. The 29th player to be the World No. 1 tennis player recently said, “It means a lot to me being World No. 1. It means you had a great year—actually,  an incredible year with a lot of success.”

Even so, Jannik Sinner considers himself ‘priveleged’ to play the sport he loves, “Obviously very happy about this, and on the other hand, you always have tournaments you have to play, the biggest tournaments, so that’s a huge privilege to be a part of.” Now that he continues his prowess on-court, idolizing Roger Federer, the world waits to see more of his amazing performances in the future!