AAP Tennis

AO champ Jannik Sinner returns to Italy amid fanfare

By AAP Newswire

Jan 31, 2024

Australian Open champion Jannik Sinner has returned to Italy amid great fanfare, with RAI state TV broadcasting his arrival at the airport in Rome.

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Wearing a black hooded sweatshirt with his orange racket bag strapped onto his shoulders, Sinner was also holding a green bag with gold-coloured straps that, to judge from the outline of its contents, contained his Australian Open trophy.

Sinner was due to be honoured by Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni later on Tuesday.

Jannik Sinner's image was projected onto Turin's Mole Antonelliana after his Australian Open win. (EPA PHOTO)

By rallying from two sets down to beat Daniil Medvedev in Sunday's final Sinner became the first Italian man to win a Grand Slam singles title in nearly a half century â€” since Adriano Panatta won the French Open trophy in 1976.

In November, Sinner also led Italy to their first Davis Cup title since 1976.

Sinner will hold a news conference with Italian Tennis and Padel Federation president Angelo Binaghi on Wednesday. He and his Davis Cup teammates are scheduled to be honoured by Italian President Sergio Mattarella on Thursday.

On Monday, Pope Francis congratulated Italy for Sinner's victory.