Jannik Sinner might not be the most popular player in the world right now, but Mats Wilander sees him becoming more popular in the future due to his humble nature.
Sinner is one of the most modest players on the ATP Tour. The Italian is approachable, speaks openly during press conferences, and generally doesn’t make too much of a fuss over things.
He has been a likable tennis player for much of his career, even though his playing style isn’t the flashiest, despite being exciting. He doesn’t have the biggest personality, nor does he play with the bright smile that Carlos Alcaraz is known for, but his humility will likely win him more fans.
He’s a fantastic tennis player who produces exciting matches, but people are also drawn to compelling stories. Sinner’s story is captivating, especially since he stays out of the limelight unless necessary.
He simply works hard and plays tennis, and that down-to-earth approach will attract many fans, according to former World No. 1, Wilander, who spoke to Eurosport after the conclusion of the 2024 US Open.
"He can play any opponent on any surface and we think Sinner is the favourite at the moment at this stage of his career and he is only going to get better."
"He is only 23 and didn’t play as much as a junior which means he is so fresh. His popularity will continue to grow because he is so humble as a sportsperson."
Speaking further on Sinner after the Italian won the 2024 US Open, Wilander noted the 23-year-old's trajectory this year, from winning the Australian Open to becoming world number one a couple of months ago to now winning his second Grand Slam at the US Open.
"This means so much to him and he works so hard. It’s coming pretty quickly now after winning the Australian Open and got number one in the world but at the same time, I feel like he’s taken his time."
"The steps of improvement are obvious but it’s not so obvious that we think he will win everything from now on."
"He is so solid, so good, he’s great on big points. I think it was a sigh of relief after everything at the end considering how he started the tournament amidst the doping thing but everyone has forgotten about that now of course. Taylor Fritz was really disappointing as I think he had a chance to win but it was not really close."
The upcoming weeks will be crucial for Sinner as he will be defending many points, and the battle for the number one spot could be exciting to watch. If he can finish the year strong and secure the world number one ranking, it would be a huge boost for the Italian, potentially positioning him as the player to beat next year, especially on hard courts.
He’s won both hard-court Grand Slams this year, and it will be a tough challenge to beat him in 2025, even for the likes of Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic.
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