"My generation has been really struggling when it comes to mental health, so I feel the more people that talk about it and destigmatise it, the better" - Jannik Sinner

Jannik Sinner is not only creating ripples on the court but off it too. The rising ATP star is currently involved in the 'What's Kept You Moving During Lockdown in 2020' awareness campaign surrounding the mental health of athletes during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Sinner wants an environment where players feel safe speaking about their mental health. Naomi Osaka is one of the few high-profile players to have publicly admitted to mental health issues. However, it's widely believed she's not alone, and more players have been afflicted by the same but haven't admitted it due to fear of how they might be perceived by others.

During an interview with the Monte Carlo Masters, Sinner spoke about the importance of mental health afflicting the current generation of players.

"My generation has been really struggling when it comes to mental health, especially throughout the pandemic, people have felt isolated and alone due to the uncommon circumstances we found ourselves in, so I feel the more people that can talk about it and destigmatise it the better, creating a community where everyone feels safe to talk about how they feel was and is the goal," Sinner said.

On the tennis side of things, the 20-year-old is in the midst of a strong season, registering a 35-9 win-loss record for the year. He's coming off a title-winning campaign in Umag, where he beat fellow young gun, Carlos Alcaraz, in the final.

Sinner has also reached the second week at all three Majors, making the quarterfinals at the Australian Open and Wimbledon.

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"The project has received some great feedback" - Jannik Sinner

Jannik Sinner at the 2022 Wimbledon Championships.

Jannik Sinner stated that he is happy to give back to society, having engaged with athletes from many sports regarding mental health awareness as part of his campaign.

The 20-year-old is thrilled that his initiative has had positive feedback, which he terms 'very inspiring.'

"For me it’s been great, to feel like I am able to give back a little bit and use the platform that I have for good. The project has received some great feedback and a lot of support, it’s very inspiring for me to see people get behind this and show their support," Sinner said.

He added that everyone has a unique story that deserves to be shared with the world.

"One reason for making this project was that I feel like everyone has a story, no matter what walk of life you are from or what stage of your life you are in, everyone has a story which should be told. So far, I have spoken to a mixture of people from athletes to young aspiring tennis players, and everyone has been able to share their positive and negative experiences of the last few years, to hear everyone’s stories has been a privilege for me," Sinner added.

Sinner hopes that his project raises more awareness about mental health, and athletes will not scared to open up about their issues and seek help.