(Reuters) – Jannik Sinner is still adjusting to life as a Grand Slam champion following his Australian Open triumph but the 22-year-old Italian has set his sights on reaching the summit of men’s tennis and says he is determined to get there.
The world number four rallied from two sets down at Rod Laver Arena to beat 2021 U.S. Open champion Daniil Medvedev 3-6 3-6 6-4 6-4 6-3 and capture his first major last month, having beaten the top-ranked Novak Djokovic in the semi-finals.
Sinner also defeated Djokovic in the group stage of the ATP Finals and the Davis Cup semi-finals last season and his steady improvement marks him out as a future number one.
“Let’s see, I don’t like to talk about ranking. I just try to be happy on court and improve as a player,” Sinner told the ATP ahead of the Rotterdam Open, where he plays Botic van de Zandschulp in his opener on Tuesday.
“That’s the only thing I can control. I’m happy that I’m number four at the moment. For sure my dream is to become number one in the world and I will work as hard as I possibly can.”
Sinner hailed the support of his family after lifting the Melbourne Park trophy but said he was yet to see his parents amid the added attention that has followed his success.
“It was strange for me and even more strange for them,” Sinner said. “I’m going to see them after this tournament. I’m going to my parents’ place.
“We call each other and there are some journalists outside the house. It has changed a little bit for sure. But I’m still the same person I was before Australia and my parents, they’re the same.”
(Reporting by Shrivathsa Sridhar in Bengaluru; Editing by Lincoln Feast.)
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