Ahead of the US Open, Italian tennis star Jannik Sinner has revealed he once promised his parents he would quit the sport if he failed to break into the world's top 200 rankings by age 24. This candid admission about the financial pressures of his early career came during a press conference as he prepares for the final Grand Slam of the year, just days after an illness forced him to retire from the Cincinnati Open final.
Sinner opened up about the financial hurdles his family faced to support his tennis aspirations, explaining that the high costs of travel and coaching led to the ultimatum. "I said if I'm with 23 or 24... not under the top 200, I would stop, you know, to play because we cannot afford it," Sinner shared. He expressed gratitude for his rapid ascent, adding, "I was very lucky to when I was already 18 that I started to earn my money and I felt already safe."
The world number four's preparations for the US Open were hampered last week when he had to withdraw due to illness during the Cincinnati final against Carlos Alcaraz, retiring while trailing 5-0 in the first set. He later issued a heartfelt apology to the fans for the disappointing conclusion. "I'm super super sorry to disappoint you," Sinner said. "From yesterday I didn't feel great... I tried to come out and make it at least a small match but I couldn't handle more."
Despite his own health issues and disappointment, Sinner displayed remarkable sportsmanship, taking a moment to congratulate his rival on the victory. "Of course Carlos congrats. Another title. Not the way you wanted to win but it's amazing what kind of season you're producing," Sinner stated. "You and your whole team are doing amazing. Keep it up. I wish you only all the best for the US Open."
As a precautionary measure following the illness, Sinner had also withdrawn from the mixed doubles competition at Flushing Meadows to focus solely on his singles campaign. The Italian is scheduled to begin his US Open journey on August 25, where he will face Vit Kopriva in the first round, with fans hoping he has made a full recovery.