In a moment rarely seen from one of the ATP Tour’s most composed and focused stars, Jannik Sinner broke down in front of the press and the world—not over a match point or a missed opportunity, but over something much deeper: his parents’ quiet suffering.
For years, fans have nicknamed Sinner “The Robot” — a cold, efficient, emotionless machine on court who rarely cracks a smile or shows frustration. But this week, the 23-year-old Italian broke that image entirely when, in an emotional press conference following his early exit at the Vienna Open, he finally let the truth spill out.
“I’ve been called a robot since I was 18,” he said, voice shaking. “But maybe that’s because I didn’t know how to cry in front of people. Maybe I didn’t want to feel anything too deeply, because when I do, it hurts too much.”
And then came the confession that silenced the room.
“I found out my parents… not only do they still work morning shifts at the cafe… they also pick up plastic bottles at night just to help pay rent.”
At that point, the cameras caught Sinner’s eyes welling up, his hand trembling as he tried to compose himself. “I can’t be happy when I see my parents like that—whether I win or cry when I lose—it doesn’t change what they’re going through. That’s not a victory.”
While Jannik Sinner’s meteoric rise to the top 5 in the world rankings may seem like a golden dream to outsiders, his background is anything but luxurious. Raised in San Candido, Italy, to working-class parents—his father a chef and his mother a waitress—Sinner was introduced to skiing and tennis early, but it was his raw discipline and silence that always defined him.
What fans didn’t know is that his parents quietly refused financial support from their son, choosing instead to live modestly and preserve their independence. According to family friends, they viewed Jannik’s success not as a reason to retire, but as a symbol of purpose.
“They didn’t want to be a burden,” a childhood coach revealed. “They wanted him to focus on tennis, not worry about them. But they never told him how tight things were.”
It wasn’t until recently—after a friend visiting his hometown told him about seeing his parents collecting recyclables behind a grocery store at 11 p.m.—that the reality hit Sinner like a train.
He flew back home without notifying his team, confronted his parents, and begged them to stop.
“My mom just smiled,” he recalled. “She said, ‘We’re proud of you. But this is our life.’”
Those five words—simple, humble, devastating—brought Sinner to tears. And later, his mother would tell reporters, “He’s always tried to protect us. But we’re the ones who wanted to protect him.”
Following the public outpouring of support after his emotional statement, Sinner released a heartfelt post on Instagram. Alongside a childhood photo of himself holding a worn-out tennis racquet, he wrote:
“This racquet cost €9. It came from a second-hand store. But with it, I built my future. I only wish my parents didn’t have to sacrifice so much to make it real.”
The post immediately went viral, with millions of fans commenting with messages of love and encouragement. Fellow tennis players, including Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic, sent private messages to Sinner offering support and admiration for his vulnerability.
In response to this emotional revelation, Sinner announced that he will launch the Sinner Foundation for Families, a program aimed at helping low-income parents of young athletes to access basic living support while their children pursue sports.
“No child should feel guilty for chasing their dream,” Sinner said. “And no parent should have to work two jobs just to keep the lights on while doing it.”
The foundation is expected to launch early next year with an initial donation of €2 million, personally pledged by Sinner.
As for the nickname “Robot,” it may finally be put to rest.
“I’m not made of steel,” Sinner admitted. “I feel everything. I just didn’t know how to show it before.”
Now, with the world finally seeing the heart behind the player, Jannik Sinner isn’t just winning matches—he’s winning hearts.
