Jannik Sinner dedicated the US Open title to his ailing aunt with emotional words and spoke thoughtfully about life as a professional athlete. “She’s not really well at the moment. I don’t know how much longer I’ll have her in my life,” said the 23-year-old tennis pro from Italy in his victory speech at the Grand Slam tournament in New York. “It’s nice that I can still share positive moments with her.”
Sinner won the final of the US Open 6:3, 6:4, 7:5 against the American Taylor Fritz. For the world number one, it was the second triumph at a Grand Slam tournament after winning the Australian Open in January.
Sinner: “Very special person in my life”
He then gave details about his relationship with his aunt. “She is a very special person in my life,” Sinner said. When he was young, she drove him to ski races while his parents were working. They spent a lot of time together and she often helped him during the summer holidays.
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The doping scandal also gave him a different perspective on life. “We travel a lot, so it’s difficult to spend time with the people you really love. If I had more time, I would spend more time with the people who really mean something to me,” said Sinner. “Unfortunately, things can happen in sport, but real life is something different.”
Sinner was under particular public scrutiny at the US Open. After two positive tests in March for the banned anabolic steroid clostebol, he was acquitted by an independent court shortly before the tournament, according to the responsible tennis agency Itia. (dpa)
