What Jannik Sinner Sacrificed to Become World No. 1

On Sunday afternoon, Jannik Sinner easily defeated Alexander Zverev in the Madrid Open final: 6-1, 6-2. It was the latest feat in a historic run Sinner has pieced together in 2026.

He remains the ATP World No. 1 with a singles record of 30-2 with four titles. All four of his titles have been ATP Masters 1000 events, breaking a tie with Novak Djokovic, who won the first three in 2015. Sinner has won five straight Masters 1000 events overall (28 consecutive matches at the Masters 1000 level).

In the blink of an eye, Sinner has not only surpassed Carlos Alcaraz in the ATP Rankings but also taken a sizable lead. But becoming the best men's tennis player in the world did not come with a heartbreaking level of sacrifice.

Jannik Sinner on his mom, his dad, & the importance of time with loved ones

“When I was 13 I left home to go to a center to practice. For parents this is very difficult, especially for a mother”

“When someone’s not there anymore, then you regret it” 🥹 pic.twitter.com/UEspfdMLSp
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) May 3, 2026

With Mother's Day in the United States quickly approaching, Sinner opened up on what he and his family endured on his way to greatness. He left home to train at a tennis academy and explained, "I think it was tough for me, but it was for sure more tough for parents because they also would like to see the kid growing up. I missed out a little bit of time, spending time with my parents."

Sinner expressed his desire to make up for lost time with his family, "I would like to catch up as much as I can. Obviously, at home, grandma and grandpa, the parents of my mom, they're still both alive. I understand her very much that she wants to stay at home and spend as much time as possible with them. But I also would like to have more time with family."

Sinner applauded Alcaraz for making time for his family and hoped to do the same, "So hopefully I can have some more time with my parents and the people I love and also with my brother and friends, because things can change. So she's definitely a role model, and I'm very happy to have my mom and very happy to have my dad, and they are a true inspiration for me. I just try to be a little bit like them, you know, because then I know that I'm a good person."

Jannik Sinner on winning his first title in Madrid and recovery heading into Rome 👀

Congratulations to @jannksin on another iconic fortnight ✨ #MMOPEN pic.twitter.com/24Sh0uhExk
— Tennis Channel (@TennisChannel) May 3, 2026

Sinner discussed his ongoing level of sacrifice, "But there is a lot of discipline, a lot of sacrifice behind this. There's also daily routines that I put in. I'm the first person who needs to be ready in the morning to wake up. I like the journey. I like to put myself in the best possible position to be the best version of myself."

Sinner will not have much time off as his Italian Open campaign in Rome kicks off on Friday, May 8. Stay locked into Sports Illustrated's Serve On SI for all of your tennis news from the court and beyond.

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