In pictures: Jannik Sinner makes Colosseum visit on return to Italy, poses with Australian Open trophy in the iconic location

Jannik Sinner has returned to his home country, Italy, and recently visited the Colosseum with the Australian Open men's singles trophy for a photo session. The amphitheater, built in AD 80, remains the largest such structure in the world and is one of Italy's most popular tourist attractions.

The 22-year-old secured his first Grand Slam title by defeating Daniil Medvedev in the Australian Open final on Sunday (January 28) by a score of 3-6, 3-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-3. On Wednesday (January 31), the Italian shared photos on his Instagram account where he can be seen posing with the trophy at the Colosseum.

In his caption, Sinner expressed appreciation for Italy's love, calling it a special place to return to.

“A special place to come home to, thank you for all the love 🇮🇹❤,” Jannik Sinner captioned the post.

At the recently concluded Australian Open, Sinner defeated Botic van de Zandschulp and Jesper de Jong in the first and second rounds, respectively. In the third round, he beat Argentina's Sebastian Baez to set up a fourth-round tie with Karen Khachanov — a match he also won in straight sets.

Sinner faced Andrey Rublev in the quarterfinals but made light work of the Russian, winning in straight sets. He then beat the 10-time Australian Open winner Novak Djokovic in the semifinal to qualify for the final, where he eventually defeated Daniil Medvedev.

Jannik Sinner made history as the first Italian player to win the Australian Open and the third Italian man to secure a men's singles Grand Slam title. His predecessors include Nicola Pietrangeli, who won the French Open in 1959 and 1960, and Adriano Panatta, who won the French Open in 1976.

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Pope Francis congratulated Jannik Sinner on his historic Australian Open Victory

2024 Australian Open Getty Images

On Monday (January 28), Pope Francis joined millions worldwide in congratulating Jannik Sinner for winning the Australian Open 2024 title.

While delivering a sermon at the Real Club de Tenis in Barcelona, the Pope congratulated Italians in general for Sinner's triumph. He spoke about sportsmanship philosophy and emphasized the broader perspective of tennis, not just about winning but also about fostering relations.

“Today we have to congratulate the Italians because, yesterday, they won in Australia. So we congratulate them, too,” he said.

"It would seem that the objective of the game is to be better than the opponent. In tennis, as in life, we can’t always win. But it’s an enriching challenge if it is played in an educated manner according to the rules. Sports are not just about competing but also relations. And in the case of tennis, it’s a dialogue that often becomes artistic,” he added.