Jannik Sinner praised for doing something truly special behind the scenes which is helping several players
Jannik Sinner has revolutionised Italian tennis in the men’s division, becoming the first ATP Tour World No. 1 in the nation’s history.
The storied nation has produced some impressive male players in recent years, including Fabio Fognini, Matteo Berrettini, Andreas Seppi, but they never truly challenged the very top of the rankings.
Sinner’s rise on the ATP Tour has coincided with several top Italian players, including Flavio Cobolli, Matteo Arnaldi, Lorenzo Musetti, and Lorenzo Sonego.
One of Sinner’s coaches believes the current rise in Italian men’s tennis is partly due to the World No. 1 setting the standards to high recently.
In an interview with La Gazzetta, Sinner’s Davis Cup captain, Filippo Volandri, has heaped praise on the star’s impact on the rest of the Italian squad.
“We’ve seen it in Davis Cup too; Jannik has the best training sessions ever. Even players who aren’t as consistent raise their level with him. That’s the quality of great champions, and he makes himself available.
More Jannik Sinner news
Jannik Sinner’s ‘only weakness’ identified amid incredible winning streak
“Sinner is someone who gives it his all even when he’s playing a game of throwing the stone the furthest, and consequently, the player on the other side wants to throw the stone further than Jannik, and so we motivate each other.
“It’s a boost, because maybe you won’t get to number 1, but you try to get closer. Jannik is an example, especially in managing his day-to-day life. And they understand the kind of professionalism it takes to do this job; they see it, they touch it.
“He wants to know everything, even about the past, about how tennis used to be. With him, you have to have three nanoseconds to give the right answer, otherwise he’ll lose focus. But on the other hand, he’s the one who pushes you to study harder, to perform better, to be more prepared.”
Sinner most recently practiced alongside Cobolli at the Italian Open, ahead of both of the Italian star’s journey at their home event.
Sinner opted not to play the Davis Cup Finals in 2025 after winning the Vienna Open, the Paris Masters, and the ATP Finals back-to-back to close out the season.
Italy, spearheaded by Matteo Berrettini and Cobolli in 2025, still managed to lift the trophy as they defeated Spain in the finals on home soil.
That ensured Italy won the Davis Cup in three consecutive years, with Sinner previously starring for Italy in their victories in 2023 and 2024.
The World No 1 picked up vital victories against the likes of Tallon Griekspoor, Alex de Minaur, Sebastian Baez, and Novak Djokovic across the two tournaments to help his nation win the illustrious event in consecutive years.
