"Even in Sicily they speak a dialect that in other parts of Italy they don't understand, right?" - Jannik Sinner on question over his Italian roots

Jannik Sinner recently responded to the questions being posed about his Italian roots and whether he “feels Italian.”

Sinner, who was born in South Tyrol - Italy’s German-speaking autonomous province which borders Austria, has fielded several questions about his roots over the years. The 22-year-old also faced the wrath of the Italian media after he chose to skip the Tokyo Olympics and Italy’s 2023 Davis Cup group stage ties.

In his recent interview with Vanity Fair Italia, when Jannik Sinner was asked if he felt “100% Italian” being a native German speaker, the World No. 3 answered affirmatively and expressed his pride in his roots.

"Always, and I'm very proud of it," he conveyed. (Translated from Italian).

Sinner also revisited his upbringing, noting that despite being brought up in a German-speaking community, he became acquainted with Italian speakers from a young age, thanks to his participation in skiing championships.

He added that the situation was similar when he moved to Liguria to learn tennis at the Piatti Tennis Center.

"When I was 7 I took part in ski championships with Italian kids, when I was 14 in Liguria my classmates were Italian," he recalled.

With the Italian media pressing him over his native language, Jannik Sinner pointed out that similar to South Tyrol, other regions in the country, such as Sicily, too, have their own dialects.

"But then, we speak our German dialect, but even in Sicily they speak a dialect that in other parts of Italy they don't understand, right?" he said.

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Jannik Sinner also landed in controversy for shifting his residence from Italy to Monte Carlo, Monaco

Jannik Sinner pictured with his compatriots after the 2023 Davis Cup Final

While Jannik Sinner was born in Italy, he shifted his base to Monte Carlo, Monaco, quite early on in his career and was subsequently targeted by the Italian media.

In light of the backlash, the 22-year-old was asked why he chose to keep his tax residence in Monte Carlo.

Sinner responded by noting that Monaco is a “very safe place.” He also added that with several tennis players residing in the Principality, he gets the chance to train with his colleagues during his off days.

It is worth noting that many of Jannik Sinner’s Italian colleagues, including Matteo Berrettini and Lorenzo Musetti, reside in Monte Carlo. Other tennis players such as Novak Djokovic, Daniil Medvedev, Alexander Zverev and Holger Rune, too, call Monaco their home.

"The Principality is a very safe place, there are many tennis players with whom I can train, perfect courts, beautiful facilities. I always thought it would be a good place to live," he said during his conversation with Vanity Fair Italia.

While Sinner initially had to deal with criticism from the media, he has since become a 'national hero,' thanks to his contribution to the rise of Italian tennis.

In 2023 Sinner impressed his home crowd when he reached the final of the year-end championships in Turin. A week later, he guided Italy to their first Davis Cup title in 47 years.

He kicked off his 2024 campaign by becoming the first tennis player from his country, man or woman, to win the Australian Open. And following his latest title in Rotterdam, Sinner rose to a career-high ranking of World No. 3 to become the only Italian man to do so in the Open Era.