Jannik Sinner, the World No. 1, reflected on the formative decision to leave home as a teenager and train at the Piatti Tennis Centre, crediting that sacrifice with shaping his ascent to tennis's summit ahead of his campaign at the Italian Open in Rome starting May 7. The 24-year-old arrives at the Foro Italico in exceptional form, having captured all four ATP Masters 1000 titles contested this season and standing on the cusp of completing the Career Golden Masters—a milestone only Novak Djokovic has achieved in men's tennis.

The early sacrifice

Speaking to the ATP, Sinner acknowledged the emotional toll of his teenage relocation. "The decision was not easy because I had to leave my family, but I know that they are next to me in any decision," he said. "It's more like I'm going away from friends, because I was not so much in contact with them. I have a couple of very good friends. We still manage to have the best friendship because they have known me since I was very young and I was no one."

The transition demanded more than emotional resilience. Sinner had never trained in a gym before or played competitive tennis more than twice weekly until age 13½, when his training regimen underwent a complete overhaul. "Everything has changed. But I believe it was good for me to grow as a person, mostly, then as a player," he reflected.

Growth beyond the court

Sinner emphasised that the experience matured him as much off-court as on it. Living with a Croatian family during his formative years—a relationship he maintains to this day—proved instrumental. "I was very, very fortunate where they put me, getting to know people," Sinner said. "It has been an amazing experience. I would do it again, not because of the result I have on court, but because it makes me grow as a person first."

A dominant season

Sinner's journey from that Rome training facility to World No. 1 has been remarkable. He is the first Italian man to reach the top ranking and has accumulated 28 tour-level titles, including four Grand Slam crowns. His 2024 season has been particularly dominant: he won Madrid last week, extending his consecutive Masters 1000 streak to five titles.

Rome's Italian significance

Sinner will face either Sebastian Ofner or Alex Michelsen in his opening match as he pursues a 10th Masters 1000 crown. He finished runner-up in Rome last year after losing the final to Carlos Alcaraz. The tournament holds special resonance for Italian tennis: no Italian man has won the singles title since Adriano Panatta in 1976—a drought of nearly five decades that Sinner has a genuine chance to end.

Preparation and momentum

Despite the compressed schedule following his Madrid triumph, Sinner expressed contentment with his readiness. "I had a couple of days off, not doing anything," he said. "I felt like it was very much needed. Today is the first day again. I have a couple of days to prepare. It's not a lot, but at the same time, I also know in the back of my mind that I played a lot. I'm very happy to be here. It has been a very special place for many, many years."