Italy has a long history in tennis, but it doesn't have a storied history in tennis as Jannik Sinner became the first Italian to ever win the Australian Open.
Tennis has been a popular sport in Italy for a very long time, and the country has given the sport many great players. It didn't give it too many elite players because the list of players who have won a Grand Slam is not that long.
As of Sunday, January 28th, 2024, it's richer by one name, as Jannik Sinner bested Daniil Medvedev to lift his maiden Grand Slam trophy at the Australian Open. Funnily enough, he became the first Italian to win the Australian Open.
That's surprisingly true, which shows you that the country's history in tennis is not that storied when it comes to majors. Generally, players from Italy perform best on clay courts, which is why Sinner was the first to win the Australian Open.
Former Italian great Nicola Pietrangeli won the Roland Garros twice, half a century ago. Adriano Panatta also won the Roland Garros in 1976, which already demonstrates that players from the country traditionally favored clay.
Francesca Schiavone also won the Roland Garros in 2010, while Flavia Panetta became the first Italian to win a Grand Slam trophy on a hard court. Jannik Sinner now joins her as the only other to have done that, and he's the only man, who won a major on the hard court.
He already cemented himself in Italian tennis history forever by leading the country to the Davis Cup trophy not long ago. By winning the Australian Open, he basically became the best Italian of all time.
There is a big chance that he doesn't remain on only one, and there is a very high chance that his career will eclipse every other from the country we've seen so far.
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