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Gaia Piccardi, sent to Turin
Sinner was awarded world number 1 in Turin: mother Siglinde in tears. The big names of the past pay homage to Jannik
Fifty-one years of electronic rankings and only one end-of-season world number one flying the Italian flag, Jannik Sinner from Sesto PusteriaItaly. On the rest day, employed preparing for Tuesday evening’s match in the group ATP Finals against the American Taylor Fritzthe red baron is forced to return to the ATP Finals arena. He does it willingly, because there is the trophy he cares about most, to be collected from the hands of Boris Beckerking of the ranking for the first time in 1991 after his triumph at the Australian Open. It is the cup that represents, beyond excellence, continuity of performance.
The Turin public awaits the challenge between Zverev is Rublev but the applause is all for Jannik, who enters preceded by the president of the ATP Tour, Andrea Gaudenziand by the German champion of six Slam titles stepping on a carpet spread especially for him. It is branded ATP N.1 Club, the new institution created by the association of professional tennis players to celebrate its human capital: 29 players capable of climbing to the top of the world rankings from 23 August 1973 onwards; Between Ilia Nastasethe first, and Jannik Sinner, the current one, there’s a world going on. Actually, two or three. Maybe four.
Becker’s words to Sinner and the message from the former number 1s
«It was the realization of a lifelong dream» recalls Becker, returning from prison for bankruptcy, as intense as when he won Wimbledon at 17: «Sinner is destined to remain at the top for a long time – this is his prediction -. Jannik left home at 13 and deserves this recognition.” June 10, 2024, the day after the triumph of Carlos Alcaraz at Roland Garros. Thanks to the withdrawal of an injured Djokovic in Paris, Sinner secured the number one position in the rankings, a position which he was certain to maintain even at the end of the year Shanghai (it was October 18th), on the road to success at the Chinese Master 1000.
Borg, Edberg, Kuerten, Roddick, Safin, McEnroe, Agassi, Federer welcomed by a roar: all the predecessors parade, gathered in a beautiful celebratory video from the ATP. And here he is, the predestined dressed as a sailor by the luxury sponsor, while on the screen of the PalaIsozaki the victories of a beautiful season (7 titles, including two Slams, Melbourne and New York) and terrible, earthquaked by the clostebol case, with aftermath all still to be defined: the CAS ruling is expected in the first months of 2025 after Wada’s appeal of Sinner’s acquittal. A king of the world with the sword of Damocles of disqualification on his head.
The emotion of mother Siglinde
They cry in the stands Hanspeter and Siglinde (mother is visibly moved)Jannik’s parents, and his brother skins his hands Mark. They came from Alto Adige for this son, this brother, born a snowball and rolled down the mountains becoming an avalanche. Sinner raises the cup with shining eyes: «There is no more beautiful place to celebrate this trophy. In Turin I made my debut in the Davis Cup and I reached the final of the Finals last year, this is a special city for me, here my dreams come true.”
He thanks the team, he is already focused on the match with Fritz which could guarantee him passage to the semifinals of the ATP Finals as early as Tuesday. «Only 29 of us belong to this exclusive club – he smiles -, when I was young I didn’t think I could reach this level but the most important thing is to surround yourself with people who love you». Siglinde and Hanspeter couldn’t be more proud.
November 11, 2024 (modified November 11, 2024 | 10:10 pm)
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