"Best skier to win a Grand Slam" - Jannik Sinner praised by Lindsey Vonn after Australian Open 2024 triumph

Jannik Sinner received praise from American alpine ski racer Lindsey Vonn on his 2024 Australian Open title triumph.

Sinner won his first Grand Slam title in Melbourne, defeating Daniil Medvedev in the summit clash on Sunday (January 28). The Italian staged a remarkable comeback as he rallied from two sets down to prevail 3-6, 3-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-3. Sinner is just the second Italian man to win a Major title, the first being Adriano Panatta, who achieved the feat in 1976.

Felicitations poured in for Sinner on social media soon after his victory. Lindsey Vonn, who has interacted with the 22-year-old in the past, congratulated him with a touch of humor. Taking to Instagram on Sunday, Vonn praised Sinner for being the 'best skier' to win a Grand Slam.

"Congrats Jan!!! So happy for you!! Without doubt the best skier to win a grand slam!!," Lindsey Vonn wrote on her Instagram stories.

Lindsey Vonn's Instagram story on Sunday

Sinner had received encouragement from Lindsey Vonn ahead of his title clash too. The former Olympic gold medalist said she would be cheering for the Italian.

Sinner and Vonn, both sponsored by Rolex, have shared skiing sessions in the past as part of a brand collaboration. The Italian became a global ambassador of the Swiss watch manufacturing company in 2020.

Sinner was a promising skier before taking up tennis, even finishing as the runner-up in a national competition.

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"Now I start to realize it" - Jannik Sinner on processing his emotions a day after his Australian Open triumph

Jannik Sinner with the 2024 Australian Open trophy

Jannik Sinner said he needed a day to process the emotions of winning the Australian Open. Although he was thrilled with the win, it wasn't until Monday morning that the Italian could truly comprehend the magnitude of his achievement.

"It's great emotions. I was just happy, yesterday I still maybe couldn't believe, and now I start to realize it, so it's a great feeling. It's nice to be here, the weather is good. I didn't sleep much, but it's great emotions, slowly realising what I've done," Sinner said, as per AusOpen.com.

The 22-year-old said that his initial thoughts after winning the match were about the hard work and sacrifices he had made throughout his career.

"There were obviously many emotions in my head... the hard work, the sacrifices I've done throughout my career, and sharing this moment with my team was maybe the best feeling I've had until now," the Italian stated.

Sinner enjoyed a dominant run throughout the tournament, dropping just three sets across his seven matches. The fourth seed defeated 10-time Australian Open champion Novak Djokovic on his way to the final, which ended the Serb's 33-match winning streak in Melbourne.

Despite the title, Sinner remains at the No. 4 spot in the rankings. However, he has closed the gap on World No. 3 Medvedev to 455 points.