From Alpine Slopes to Tennis Glory: Sinner’s Mountain Roots

Jannik Sinner’s rise to becoming the world’s leading tennis player started not on a court, but on the white peaks of the Dolomite mountains. The Italian champion took his first steps towards sporting glory in Sexten, a picturesque Alpine village located in the foothills near the Austrian border, where he was first exposed to skiing before concentrating on tennis. What began as a chance introduction to the sport at age four, courtesy of family friend Andreas Schönegger, would ultimately overshadow Sinner’s considerable talents in skiing and football. Despite being the tiniest member in his group and displaying long red hair that attracted attention, the young Sinner demonstrated a technical brilliance that contradicted his slight frame. By thirteen, he had made the decisive choice to pursue tennis exclusively, setting in motion a remarkable ascent that would lead to his rise to the pinnacle of professional sport.

How It Started: Life in the Dolomites

Sexten is not the type of place you would readily associate with producing a next world number one tennis player. This tranquil mountain village, located in the foothills of the Dolomites just a short walk from the Austrian border, embodies Alpine charm and tranquillity. The streets are marked in both Italian and German, showcasing its distinctive cultural position, whilst the local dialect and cuisine—substantial meat dishes and dumplings—feel distinctly Austrian. Yet under this serene exterior lies something rather exceptional: the village’s tennis complex proudly proclaims itself as “where champions are born,” a striking claim that Sinner’s stellar climb has validated beyond doubt.

It was within this closely bonded community that Sinner’s athletic development truly commenced. Andreas Schönegger, a family associate, introduced the young Jannik to skiing during his fourth winter before moving on to coach him in tennis the following summer. What impressed Schönegger immediately was not Sinner’s physical presence—the boy was often the smallest in his cohort—but rather his innate technical mastery. “He had outstanding technique from the beginning,” Schönegger would later recall, explaining how other children at first thought the slight, red-haired youngster for a girl, only to realise they were facing a exceptionally gifted competitor.

• Sexten nestled in Dolomite foothills near Austrian border
• Bilingual village with street signs in Italian and German and dialect
• Andreas Schönegger taught Sinner skiing before tennis
• Young Sinner displayed outstanding technical ability despite small stature

The Crossroads: Choosing Tennis Over Winter Sports

Before tennis claimed Sinner entirely, the young Alpine athlete displayed exceptional skill across multiple disciplines. His skiing ability was sufficiently developed that he reached the junior national championships as a slalom runner-up, a genuinely impressive achievement for any youngster. Beyond the slopes, football also beckoned, with Sinner showing an natural feel for the game and the uncommon talent to perform effectively with both feet. Yet as he progressed through childhood in Sexten, it became increasingly apparent that one sport would eventually demand his complete devotion. The decision, when it came, would prove life-changing—but not without cost.

Sinner’s parents recognised their son’s remarkable talent across all three sports, yet understood that reaching the ultimate summit would require undivided attention. Tennis gradually began to dominate his schedule and his thoughts. The choice to pursue the racquet sport exclusively represented a significant milestone in his development, one that required real commitment from both the teenager and his family. Hanspeter, Sinner’s father, displayed resolute support to his son’s ambitions, sometimes working exhausting 14-hour days as a chef at a local ski lodge before heading to the courts for practice.

Initial Training and Exceptional Ability

Andreas Schönegger’s role in Sinner’s formative years proved vital. Beyond merely teaching the technical fundamentals, Schönegger recognised something remarkable in the slight, red-haired child who would continue training long after group lessons finished, diligently working on footwork and groundstrokes. The young player’s drive was extraordinary; he appeared voracious in his hunger to improve. Schönegger would later marvel at how opponents regularly misjudged his small protégé, only to confront a technically sophisticated player whose abilities greatly outstripped his physical appearance.

What marked Sinner was not pure athletic ability but rather a deeply intuitive grasp of tennis fundamentals. Schönegger recalled with fondness how other children initially took the young Sinner for a girl, such was his slight frame and unique look. Yet once play commenced, this misunderstanding disappeared immediately. “This is not a girl, it’s a very, very strong boy,” Schönegger would tell bemused opponents. The technical foundation laid during these early Sexten years would be crucial in Sinner’s later development, establishing patterns and instincts that would define his professional game.

The Difficult Decision: Leaving Home at Thirteen

By his mid-teen years, Sinner’s outstanding ability across skiing, football and tennis had proved impossible to ignore. Yet striving for success in all three sports at the same time was an impossible dream. The critical juncture arrived when Sinner, his parents and Schönegger recognised that tennis offered the best route to top-level play. This recognition prompted an remarkably challenging family decision: at just thirteen and a half years old, Sinner would depart from Sexten, the only home he had ever known. His destination lay some 400 miles away on the Italian Riviera, at the renowned Piatti Tennis Centre in Bordighera. This departure from family, from the snow-capped mountains, and from everything familiar represented an enormous sacrifice for such a young person.

The contrast between Sexten and Bordighera could scarcely have been starker. Where the mountain village provided Alpine peaks, skiing slopes and German-speaking tranquillity, the Riviera resort offered Mediterranean beaches, exotic gardens and Italian sophistication. Sinner would exchange snow for sand, German dialect for Italian, and the ease of being near his parents for the rigorous demands of professional coaching. Founder Riccardo Piatti, who had previously worked with notable players including Milos Raonic, Ivan Ljubicic and a teenage Novak Djokovic, initially harboured doubts about accepting such a young student. However, Sinner’s steadfast resolve and his parents’ firm support ultimately convinced Piatti to accept the teenager into his academy.

• Sinner left home at thirteen and a half years old for professional tennis training
• The Piatti Centre is situated on the Italian Riviera in Bordighera, vastly different from his mountain village
• Riccardo Piatti initially questioned whether Sinner was insufficiently mature for such a substantial move

Life at the Piatti Academy

Upon getting to Bordighera, Sinner threw himself fully in the academy’s rigorous training programme. Piatti made a conscious choice: the teenager would dedicate every moment during the week centred on tennis development, with structured coaching, physical conditioning, tactical analysis and match play forming the core of his education. This rigorous system embodied Piatti’s conviction that reaching the pinnacle of professional tennis necessitated absolute commitment and sacrifice. For Sinner, the transition proved demanding across physical and emotional dimensions, yet his fortitude and drive enabled him to transition rapidly to this new environment far removed from his Alpine roots.

The Piatti Academy environment fostered rapid development through access to elite-level coaching and worldwide competitive play. Sinner trained alongside aspiring junior competitors, participating in frequent competitive events and practice matches that enhanced his technical and mental growth. The Mediterranean region, whilst markedly distinct from Sexten, provided an ideal training ground for a talent bound for the professional game. Piatti’s established reputation with world-class players validated his methods, and Sinner’s development throughout his foundational academy period would justify both his personal bravery in departing and his coach’s initial willingness to take a chance on the lean, gifted young player from the Dolomites.

Developing a Champion: Training and Mentorship

Riccardo Piatti’s methodology extended far beyond conventional coaching techniques. The celebrated academy head acknowledged that Sinner demonstrated not merely technical competence but an remarkable ability for learning and self-improvement. Piatti designed a thorough development plan that combined physical conditioning, tactical understanding, and psychological resilience. The coach’s background with top-tier athletes like Novak Djokovic and Milos Raonic guided his approach to nurturing Sinner’s natural ability. Rather than accelerating the young player into professional competitions, Piatti stressed fundamental mastery, guaranteeing that every element of Sinner’s play—from serve mechanics to court placement—met the demanding standards required for elite professional tennis.

The academy atmosphere necessitated unwavering dedication from its aspiring athletes. Sinner’s daily routine comprised hours of precision work, physical conditioning sessions, and competitive practice against increasingly formidable opponents. Piatti’s mentorship was transformative, fostering tactical awareness and discipline that would prove to be hallmarks of Sinner’s approach to the game. The coach recognised the teenager’s innate physical gifts and refined it into precision and consistency. Through detailed examination and constructive feedback, Piatti assisted Sinner build the emotional strength essential to compete at the highest levels. This systematic approach to player development established a strong base upon which Sinner’s future success would flourish.

Understanding the methods of the Greats

Piatti’s academy offered Sinner with invaluable exposure to world-class coaching principles refined through decades of elite player development. The coach’s prior experience with Djokovic offered insights into the mentality required for sustained success at the pinnacle of elite tennis competition. Sinner absorbed these teachings with notable commitment, absorbing Piatti’s emphasis on consistency, strategic adaptability, and psychological strength. Competing with other aspiring professionals exposed Sinner to diverse playing styles and tournament-level demands. This immersive educational environment was crucial in accelerating his maturation as a player, reshaping the lean youngster from the Dolomites into a formidable competitor able to challenging the world’s top players.

The Height: From Top-Ranked Player to Local Legend

Jannik Sinner’s ascent to the summit of professional tennis marked the culmination of years removed from his Alpine roots. After leaving Sexten at thirteen and a half years old, the young Italian committed himself fully to the rigorous demands of elite competition. His systematic development under Riccardo Piatti’s tutelage, paired with his natural talent and unwavering determination, drove him up the junior rankings and into the professional circuit. By his early twenties, Sinner had already claimed multiple ATP titles, establishing himself as one of the sport’s most dominant players and a genuine challenge for tennis’s established hierarchy.

Achieving the world number one ranking represented a profound validation of Sinner’s commitment and his family’s steadfast support throughout his journey. The slight red-haired boy from the Dolomites had evolved into a powerhouse on the global stage, his technical prowess and psychological strength earning him respect amongst fellow players and fans worldwide. Yet success at tennis’s highest level never diminished Sinner’s bond with his mountain village roots. Returning to Sexten as a global champion allowed him to inspire a new generation of young athletes in the very place where his extraordinary journey began, proving that champions truly are born in unlikely locations.

• Sinner captured several ATP championships whilst climbing towards the pinnacle of the sport.
• His number one world ranking confirmed decades of hard work and commitment to the sport.
• Return visits in Sexten inspire local youth and celebrate his South Tyrolean background.