'Tennis Prodigy Who Says "Don't Do SNS," Hobbies Include Watching TV... What’s the Other One?'

Yannick Sinner from Italy Wins Australian Open
"Living Better Without Using SNS"

Yannik Sinner (22), who rose as Italy's 'sports hero' by winning the Australian Open tennis tournament, has drawn attention by advising his peers to "stay away from social networking services (SNS)."

Italy's ANSA news agency reported on Sinner's local press conference on the 31st of last month (local time). At the time, Sinner said, "Personally, I live better without using SNS, and I will continue to do so."

He emphasized, "I don't like SNS because it's not truthful. Even when something upsetting happens, people can post perfect photos on SNS. What you see on SNS is not the truth."

Yannick Sinner Photo by AFP Yonhap News

Instead, Sinner enjoys watching television. He said, "In Australia, I watched 'The Kingdom of Animals.' It features animals you can't see in Italy," adding, "When I have time, I read a lot of books. I always carry a book with me."

Earlier, on the 28th of last month, Sinner defeated Daniil Medvedev 3-2 in the men's singles final of the Australian Open, claiming his first Grand Slam title. It was the first time in 48 years since an Italian player won a major men's singles title, the last being Adriano Panatta at the 1976 French Open.

The Australian Open final was particularly dramatic. Sinner defeated world No. 1 Novak Djokovic in the semifinals, and in the final, after losing the first two sets to Medvedev, he won the next three sets consecutively to claim the throne. The entire Italy was thrilled by his comeback victory.

Sinner's popularity in Italy is reported to be considerable. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni took a photo with the returning Sinner at her office in Rome on the 30th of last month. The two posed holding the Italian flag for a commemorative photo.

Prime Minister Meloni praised Sinner for not giving up even when the situation seemed bleak, saying, "He set an example for sports fans, young people, and all of Italy." Additionally, Sinner received a 'Sports Diplomacy Ambassador' certificate from the Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs, and on the 2nd, he is scheduled to meet President Sergio Mattarella along with the Italian national team.

Earlier, Sinner was invited to the Italian national song festival 'Sanremo Music Festival,' scheduled for early this month, but reportedly declined due to training commitments. He said, "My dream has always been to win a major tournament. Now I understand what that means," adding, "I will train hard again to feel that emotion once more."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.