There is an understated elegance to Sinner that, despite the fluidity with which he swings a racquet, becomes particularly apparent when you take his 6’4” frame out of tennis clothes. Shed of his playing gear and dressed, as has become standard since he became a Gucci ambassador, in one of the house’s ensembles, it quickly becomes clear why, in 2022, the Italian house took a chance on the fresh-faced boy from San Candido before he’d even won a Slam title.
Of the presumptive heirs to tennis’ fabled Big Three, as the top- ranked man in the world – and having had a phenomenal 2024 – Sinner is best placed to shape the new landscape according to his will. “Solid and aggressive” is how he described his playing style in his recent Esquire cover story. His game is steeped in maturity, not defined by ego, and nor is he too proud to adjust his approach to meet the demands of different competitors. “I am more of the belief that you are either winning or learning,” he told us. Above all, he plays with an unshakeable calm – never flustered, always analysing.
The composed manner with which Sinner, 23, carries himself transcends the court. When he became a Gucci ambassador, he admitted to going into the partnership with almost no knowledge of fashion. Yet, in Sinner, the brand – and tennis – may have found the poster boy it needs in an era when, not unlike how it is in the NBA and Formula 1, every pre-contest arrival is a chance to make a style statement. There’s no doubt Sinner has the natural gifts to take up that mantle. His shock of red hair, fair complexion and piercing eyes – a calling card of his northern Italian roots – mark him out as a unique addition to sport’s growing roster of could-be models.
