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As Jannik Sinner looks to defend his title at Wimbledon, his family will be cheering him on even if they are not present in person at the All England Lawn Tennis Club.
“I consider myself very lucky. Lucky because when I was 13, I made the decision to leave home and go to the center to train,” Sinner said earlier this year of his parents’ sacrifices for his tennis career. “I think it’s very difficult for parents, especially for a mother, to accept that, to just go and leave home. I think it was hard for me, but it was probably even harder for my parents because they wanted to see the child grow up too.”
He added: “It’s definitely a little bit (like) I’ve missed a little bit of time with my parents. I’d like to make up for it as much as possible. Obviously my grandparents are at home, my mom’s parents, they’re both still alive. I really understand her wanting to stay home and spend as much time with them as possible. But I’d also like to spend more time with the family.”
Here’s a little more about who is closest to the tennis star:
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Sinner’s parents earlier this year.
Sinner’s parents worked at a ski lodge as a child and still manage their own guest house, Haus Sinner. Work commitments often prevent Hanspeter (also called Johann) and Sieglinde from attending their son’s matches. “So they’re always working, and that’s what I like about them,” Sinner told reporters in 2024. “They don’t change anything with me.”
Earlier this year, Sinner said his mom is “definitely a role model and I’m really glad I have a mom and I’m really glad I have a dad and they’re a real inspiration to me. I just try to be a little bit like them because then I know I’m a good person.”
Jannik Sinner’s brother, Mark Sinner
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On the left is Sinner’s brother Mark with his parents.
Mark was born in Russia in 1998 and was adopted by Yannick’s parents at the age of nine months, two years before Yannick’s birth in 2001. He currently works as a fire brigade instructor in South Tyrol, Italy.
“I’m used to not seeing him at home, but when he comes back, it’s wonderful. Every week of the year is busy with training and tournaments, so we try to keep up with events by phone almost daily,” Mark said Messenger. “On and off the court he was always a very calm guy… Popularity hasn’t changed us at all.”
Emily Burak (she/her) is the deputy digital editor of Town & Country magazine, where she covers entertainment, celebrities, royals and a wide range of other topics. Before joining T&C, she was deputy editor-in-chief of Hey Alma, a website dedicated to Jewish culture. Follow her @emburack on Instagram, Twitter and other social media.