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If Jannik Sinner didn't have a thin body, maybe he wouldn't have experienced the 2024 Australian Open title. His body shape makes him unsuitable for skiing, prompting the man from Sud Tirol, Italy, to switch to the world of tennis. When he was 13 years old, he weighed only 30 kilograms, while the ideal weight for a skier is 50 kilograms, recalls Jannik.
Despite having achieved achievements in the world of skiing, including a junior title in the slalom category with the Italian national ski team, Jannik decided to move to Bordighera, a tennis school under the leadership of Riccardo Piatti. This decision led him to win the 2024 Australian Open trophy under the tutelage of Piatti, who previously coached world class players such as Novak Djokovic and Ivan Ljubicic, even though he was two sets behind Daniel Medvedev.
Sud Tirol, a mountainous region divided between Italy and Austria, is famous for three Alpine peaks called the Dolomites. Jannik Sinner grew up in a mountain village called Innichen, Pustertal subdistrict, where the dangerous skicross ski championship was held. Although thin and tall, Jannik is known for his fast footwork which stems from his background as a former ski athlete, where courage was required due to the high risk of accidents.
Even though his name is drowning among other young players such as Carlos Alcaraz and Emma Raducanu, and being labeled as a disappointing tennis player after losing to Novak Djokovic at Wimbledon 2023, Jannik Sinner remains confident that one day he will win the Grand Slam. For Sinner, tennis is not only about strength, but also about timing, especially in precise movements and careful racket swings. He proved this ability by defeating Novak Djokovic in the semifinals and turning things around in the final against Daniel Medvedev.
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