"Pathetic and insulting" "An amazing boy" - Fans react to Jannik Sinner revealing he promised to quit tennis to ease his parents' financial burden

Some fans called out Jannik Sinner for allegedly playing the victim card by discussing the humble background of his family and stating that he considered quitting the sport had he not reached the top 200. Other fans, however, praised the Italian for his ability to rise to the top of the rankings.

Sinner will play Vit Kopriva in the opening round at the US Open. He has been ranked No. 1 since June 10, 2024, and is the first Italian player to achieve the top spot in the ATP rankings.

Sinner continues to make strides on the court, having won the Australian Open and Wimbledon titles in 2025. He is now looking to defend his US Open title, having triumphed last year by beating Taylor Fritz in the final.

In a pre-match press conference, Sinner talked about his goals as a youngster. He said he only dreamt of being in the top 200 because his family couldn't have afforded world tours. He added that attaining a top 100 spot satiated him, and that the top rank feels overwhelming now.

"I was younger when I left home, but I said if I'm with 23 or 24 in around, not under the top 200, I would stop, you know, to play because we cannot afford it with the money what we have and it costs a lot of money to travel around the tournaments and if you have a coach or, you know, I was very lucky to, when I was already 18, that I started to earn my money and I felt already safe. When you're young, you just say a dream, you don't even believe it."

Some fans were not pleased with how the Italian portrayed himself and called it an act to gain sympathy. An X user claimed that Sinner has no war-torn country background but was blessed with the best trainers throughout.

"Comes from normal family in northern Italy. No war country. Got into one of bests tennis academies in Europe at young age and got to practice with best coaches physios and top players and sparring partners. Moving to Monte Carlo. I don’t see anything “special” they had to do for him."

Speaking along the same lines, another user said that gifted players can always benefit from scholarships.

"There were kids who went to my private school who came from low socioeconomic statuses, but got a full ride scholarship because they were gifted in certain sports. Their families are still technically in the lower class. What’s the point you’re trying to make?"

Another fan highlighted that Jannik Sinner hails from a G7 country, and claimed that his remarks were 'pathetic.'

"Italy is a G7 member country! This whole "woe-is-me" act is pathetic and insulting to all those who come from poorer and/or war-torn countries."

However, there were many netizens who not only defended but also appreciated Sinner for his mindset and achievements.

One fan praised the Italian's journey:

Crazy to think his “goal” was top 200 by 24… and now he’s No.1 before turning 24. The discipline + steady improvements in his game show why he’s built for long-term dominance.

Another fan expressed admiration towards Jannik Sinner and wrote:

That’s wild. Sinner deserves the success so much ❤️

Cheering him on, one netizen commented:

An amazing boy 👏🏻👏🏻

Jannik Sinner's Cincinnati Open campaign ended on a heartbreaking note

Jannik Sinner at the Cincinnati Open 2025 - Day 12 - (Source: Getty)

Fresh off his victorious Wimbledon campaign, Jannik Sinner put together a stellar run in Cincinnati. He was the top seed at the ATP Masters 1000 event, a favorite to defend his title from 2024.

In the championship match against Carlos Alcaraz, however, the 24-year-old was affected by an illness. He played just five games, trailing the Spaniard 5-0, before retiring from the match.

About the author

Agnijeeta is a US Olympics journalist at Sportskeeda. She holds a Master’s degree in English and has worked as a school teacher, a blogger, a content writer and a sports writer over the past 5 years. A lover of high-adrenaline track and field events, she was also a sprinter during her school days.

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone happens to be her favorite Olympian, and the athlete’s feat of breaking four records within 13 months inspires her, apart from the American's body language on and off the track. Grant Hackett swimming with a partially dysfunctional lung and winning gold in Athens is her all-time favorite Olympic moment.

Agnijeeta believes that deriving of unique angles from podcasts and interviews carried out by Olympics.com, along with hype-building of potential Olympic events on social media can help fill the coverage gap during the off season.

When not at her work desk, Agnijeeta likes to sing and paint. She also plays string instruments like guitar and ukulele and is an avid player of word puzzles.

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Edited by Tushhita Barua