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Jannik Sinner's parents: Who are father Johann and mother Siglinde?
Jannik Sinner has attributed his success to his supportive parents. His father, a chef on his team, and his mother, who worked alongside him.
Jannik Sinner, currently ranked World No.1 in tennis, is the first Italian to achieve this feat. His journey to this point, however, has been anything but easy. Born on August 16, 2001, in Innichen, South Tyrol in Italy, Sinner has always credited his parents for his success.
“I wish that everyone could have my parents because they always let me choose whatever I wanted to. Even when I was younger, I also [played] some other sports and they never put pressure on [me] ... I wish that this freedom is possible for as many young kids as possible. Thank you so much [to] my parents,” he said after becoming the first Italian player to win a Grand Slam singles title in nearly five decades at the 2024 Australian Open.
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Meet Jannik’s father, Johann
Jannik’s father, Johann, was born in the South Tyrol section of Italy and often goes by the name of Hanspeter, as per Town & Country magazine. Johann has been a professional chef for over 40 years now and worked at the Talschlusshutte Hut ski lodge in Sexten, Italy, during his son’s early years.
“I used to go always to ski because I had ski training from 2 to 4,” Jannik told reporters after his 2024 Australian Open title win. “When I came back around 4:30 my mom used to be at home, but I went to play tennis sometimes a little bit or football so I was not that much at home.”
In a bid to spend more time with his son amid his hectic schedule, Johann has now joined Jannik’s staff as a chef. “My dad is here. We have a house here. We are all together,” Jannik told the Tennis Channel in 2023. “My dad was a chef [for over] 40 years or more ... He knows how to cook and obviously it’s very nice to have him around. He is here cooking for us, but it’s not only about cooking. To have one [more] member of the family ... It’s nice to have him here.”
The family also runs a guest house called ‘Haus Sinner’ where Johann frequently goes to help out in the restaurant when on leave from touring with his son. The proud father can also frequently be spotted supporting Jannik at his matches.
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About Jannik's mother, Siglinde
Jannik’s mother, Siglinde, on the other hand, worked as a waitress alongside Johann in the same ski lodge to support her family. She, along with her husband, has always been quite supportive of their son’s ambitions to pursue tennis professionally from a young age.
“I went away from home when I was 14 years old. So I had to grow up quite fast, trying to cook for myself, trying to make laundry. You know, the first time, it’s different, but then in [another] way, that was maybe the fastest way to grow up,” Jannik revealed during a 2024 post-game conference. “I think for me [it] was tough, but for [my] parents to leave their son [at] 14 years old, it’s also not easy and they ... never put pressure on [me], which for me is maybe the key [of] why I’m here today.”
Siglinde, however, revealed that she often gets anxious watching her son play in real life. “I left at the end of the first set. I'll take a stroll around here and wait for the match to end. I never watch Jannik's entire matches live; it rarely happens. I prefer to stay in front of the TV,” she told Gazzetta following the Italian Open in Rome in May.
Although always there to support him in spirit, Jannik’s parents have stopped frequenting his matches recently to take care of his ailing grandparents. “They won’t travel much, at least [for] now. I know them, so I also have my grandma and grandpa, which they [are] a certain age now [so my parents] want to stay close,” Jannik said after winning the Miami Open in April. “We have the family at home. They live in a beautiful place, so they have a good life there.”
(By Stuti Gupta)
