Jannik Sinner Reveals What He ‘Really Misses’ About Skiing and Compares It to Playing Tennis

Jannik Sinner will be competing at the Qatar Open, which he skipped last year due to his three-month ban.

Jannik Sinner Reveals What He ‘Really Misses’ About Skiing and Compares It to Playing Tennis

Jannik Sinner (Image via Vogue)

Jannik Sinner won Italy’s junior national championship in slalom alpine skiing at the age of eight, and at 11, he finished as a runner-up. But instead of skis, the South Tyrol native picked up a tennis racket for his career.

Sinner, now a World No.2 and a four-time Grand Slam champion, follows skiing a lot but doesn’t get on the slope much to avoid possible injuries, which could affect his tennis career. During his interview with Vogue, the former World No.1, who is also an ambassador for the Winter Olympics, said the thing he misses the most about skiing is not competition but the adrenaline that runs through him when he slides down the slope.

The adrenaline. And to be honest, that’s the only thing I really miss. I would say that skiing has this different sort of pressure, though. You need to perform well even though you don’t really know where you’re standing. In tennis, you have a huge hand, because you always know the score. And you know that, at times, maybe you can play at 80% just to get through. That’s enough for that day. But skiing is not like this at all. You just go, and you have no idea [until it’s done].

When asked whether there’s any Italian skier that he’s a fan of or friends with, Sinner said he used to race with Giovanni Franzoni. Sinner also lauded Lindsey Vonn and her skiing through a torn ACL, saying, “The greatest athletes have a lot of courage.”

Greg Rusedski doesn’t think Juan Carlos Ferrero will coach Jannik Sinner

Juan Carlos Ferrero split with Carlos Alcaraz last year over failed contract negotiations. Former player Greg Rusedski doesn’t think Ferrero will join Alcaraz’s arch-rival Jannik Sinner‘s team as long as Darren Cahill is there. The Aussie coach wanted to leave Sinner’s team after the 2025 season, but decided to coach him for at least one more season.

Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz
Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz (Image via X/Jannik Sinner HQ)

I don’t think I see it happening as long as Darren Cahill is there. Because Darren Cahill is one of the best in the business. He’s done an incredible job with every player he’s been with. He’s taken [Simona] Halep to number one, winning the Slam, he’s done it with Andre Agassi, he’s done it with Leyton Hewitt as a youngster, and now he’s doing it with Jannik Sinner.

Greg Rusedski said on his Off Court with Greg podcast

Alcaraz is working with Samuel Lopez, who joined his team in December 2024 and also revealed recently that his brother, Alvaro, will work as a main coach in Lopez’s absence. The World No.1 won his first 24 tour-level titles under the guidance of Ferrero.

But his 25th title came at the Australian Open. The 22-year-old overcame a 1-0 deficit to topple 10-time Australian Open champion Novak Djokovic to win his career’s seventh Grand Slam title, becoming the youngest man to do so, surpassing Bjorn Borg‘s record (23). Alcaraz also became the youngest man in the Open Era to complete a Career Grand Slam.

Sinner, however, failed to complete the three-peat of the Melbourne Slam. Djokovic eliminated him in the semifinals. Had Sinner won, he would have become the second man in the Open Era, after the 24-time Grand Slam champion, to win three consecutive titles in the Major Down Under.

Sinner, Alcaraz, and Djokovic will next be playing the Qatar Open in Doha, scheduled to start on February 26th. The Italian ace skipped the Doha event last year due to his three-month ban. Alcaraz lost in the quarterfinals at the hands of Jiri Lehecka, while the 38-year-old suffered an opening-round exit, losing to Matteo Berrettini.

Also read: Elena Rybakina Aims to Keep the Momentum Going in Doha After Australian Open Victory