"A dream I've dreamed of when I was a little kid" - Jannik Sinner opens up about how much becoming World No. 1 means to him

Jannik Sinner, who recently became the World No.1 gave his thoughts on how much it means for him to reach the top ranking. The Italian claimed theWorld No.1 ranking from Novak Djokovic during the 2024 French Open.

Sinner is having a brilliant 2024 season so far, winning titles at the Australian Open, ABN AMRO Open, and Miami Open. He also had semifinal runs at the Indian Wells Masters, Monte-Carlo Masters, and at the recently concluded French Open.

Sinner's final-four run in Paris coupled with Novak Djokovic's withdrawal, saw him become the first singles World No. 1 from Italy.

In a special ceremony held in Monte-Carlo on Monday, June 10, Jannik Sinner was presented with the ATP World No.1 trophy. Speaking to beIN SPORTS after receiving the award, the Italian expressed his gratitude for reaching the top ranking in the sport.

Sinner stated that becoming the World No.1 holds immense significance for him as it signifies him performing well and having success throughout the year. He also stated that with this achievement he gets to play bigger tournaments and be a part of them which he deemed is a "huge privilege."

"It means a lot to me being World No.1. It means you had a great year, actually an incredible year with a lot of success. Obviously very happy about this and on the other hand you always have tournaments you have to play, the biggest tournaments so that's a huge privilege to be a part of," Jannik Sinner told beIN Sports [0:07].

Sinner said that he shared this achievement with his family and friends and that he is looking forward to the next challenges.

"I'm just looking forward to the next challenges. I'm very happy to share this with all my team and the people who are close to me. On the other hand I'm very sure that I can still improve some things and I'm looking forward to it," he added [0:30].

Jannik Sinner also revealed that he was relieved to hear that he was the new World No.1 as it had been a dream of his since his childhood.

"I was happy and then it's kind of a relief. This is a dream that I've dreamed of when I was a little kid. It was only a dream that day and now that I can say that I'm World No.1, it means a lot to me. It took some time, that's for sure and it was a very nice feeling," Jannik Sinner said [0:58].

Jannik Sinner: "Being No.1, it's the best feeling I can have"

Sinner has had an incredible 2024 so far

In the aforementioned interview, Jannik Sinner stated that being the World No.1 has the biggest meaning in tennis. He expressed that while Grand Slams and Masters events hold importance, achieving the top ranking is a culmination of years of relentless hard work and dedication.

Sinner described the feeling of becoming the World No.1 as unparalleled and acknowledged that maintaining this position presents a new set of challenges for him.

"Well the meaning of World No.1, I think is the biggest meaning we have in our sport. Obviously the Grand Slams are important, the Masters events are important but being No.1 in the world is an achievement that you build in one year time and now obviously we see how much I can stay there and that's a different challenge. But being No.1, it's the best feeling I can have," Jannik Sinner said [2:21].

Looking ahead, Jannik Sinner will begin his grass court season at the 2024 Terra Wortmann Open, an ATP 500 event taking place in Halle, Germany from June 15 to June 23. The tournament will also feature the likes of Daniil Medvedev, Andrey Rublev, Stefanos Tsitsipas, Felix Auger-Aliassime, among others.