Jannik Sinner is a ‘slightly different’ Italian and that helps to make him special

Italian tennis players have a history of being flamboyant and passionate on the tennis court, but Jannik Sinner bucks that trend.

Calm, composed and measured in everything he does, the 22-year-old closing in on the world No 1 ranking for the first time in his career at the French Open oozes very different qualities when he is going about his work on the game’s biggest stages.

Born in northern Italy and not far from the Austrian border, Sinner’s Germanic mentality shines through when he is in the heat of battle, with explosive reactions so familiar with compatriots like Fabio Fognini rarely in evidence from the ice-cool player who won his first Grand Slam title at the Australian Open in January.

Now six-time Grand Slam doubles champion and Netherlands Davis Cup captain Paul Haarhuis has told Tennis365 in an exclusive interview that Sinner’s inner grit and outward serenity are the perfect combination to make him a multiple-Grand Slam champion.

“For an Italian, Sinner has that coolness and does not look like he is in a theatre playing a role,” Haarhuis told Tennis365 in an exclusive interview as he prepares to host coaching clinics at the Verdura Resort in Sicily over the course of this year.

“You look at other Italian players like Fabio Fognini and he was always quite dramatic. This was great because you could get the popcorn and settle in for the show.

“We have also seen that with other Italian players down the years. They tend to be quite excitable on court traditionally, but Sinner is different.

READ MORE: Boris Becker reveals why Jannik Sinner may not be a French Open favourite

“What Sinner has got is a more German persona. He just shows up, goes about his business and he has it all.

“His athleticism, his shot-making and everything about his game is so wonderful to watch.

“I love how humble he is, how nice he is to everybody, how he says hello to everyone and makes them feel comfortable. He is just amazing for our sport.”

Haarhuis went on to suggest the rivalry between Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz could be a massive asset to the men’s game over the next decade, as the two players battling to oust Novak Djokovic from the top of the tennis tree bring different qualities to the table.

“I feel tennis is in a great place and a lot of that is to do with these two great champions coming through – Alcaraz and Sinner.

“These two guys are just great for tennis. The way they play, their attitude on the court, the crowd just loves them and it is fantastic for our sport.

“Two years ago when Alcaraz won the US Open, I didn’t believe what I was seeing. The energy he got from the crowd was amazing and he gave that energy back to them as well.

“When he played (Frances) Tiafoe in the semi-final in New York, there were as many Americans cheering for this Spanish kid as there were cheering for Tiafoe. To do that was an incredible feat.

“As a personality, to create the situation where you are just as popular as the American in his home country, that just showed you what Alcaraz brings on a tennis court.

“He is just so good for tennis. He has the shot-making, some of the skills of Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic and then he has that smile that brings everyone on his side. We are so lucky as a sport to have Alcaraz.

“Sinner doesn’t have that smile the whole time, but he is so likeable. His game is amazing, his composure is amazing and he is much more cool than a lot of Italian players. He is so wonderful to watch.”

Former world No 1 doubles player Paul Haarhuis and eight-time singles winner Francisco Clavet are just two of the big names who are set to deliver a series of exclusive tennis clinics at Sicily’s Verdura Resort in 2024.