On Sunday, the Forza fans erupted in loud cheers as Jannik Sinner lifted the Coupe de S.A.S. le Prince Souverain in Monte Carlo. It was a proud moment, with the Italian flag raised and the winner’s national anthem tradition following soon after. As Il Canto degli Italiani played, Sinner joined in, singing along with real pride.

But things took a slightly unexpected turn during the post-match press conference. A reporter came up with a rather odd question about the anthem, briefly catching the World No. 1 off guard. Still, Sinner handled it smoothly, firing back with a cheeky response that quickly shut it down.

A regional reporter in the press conference questioned whether Sinner had actually sung the national anthem, asking the 24-year-old to clarify. It came across as a rather pointed, and to many, unnecessary question.

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“You sang the Italian anthem today?” the reporter asked

To that, Sinner paused for a moment before replying, calm and composed. “Yes, I sang it. Normally, we sing the national anthem, right?” he said, before adding, “I’m happy. I always say that I’m proud to be Italian. I felt the support, the Italian support, especially in this tournament.”

And that was that. No long explanation, no irritation, just a simple, assured response from someone who didn’t feel the need to justify anything.

Still, the question did resonate with some. Sinner was born in San Candido, in the South Tyrol region, an area with a historically German-speaking background that became part of Italy after the World War I. That dual cultural identity has occasionally sparked debate around him, with some framing it as a question of identity. But Sinner himself has never leaned into that narrative, remaining clear and consistent about where he stands.

The Italian backing he spoke about was hard to miss all week. Large sections of Court Rainier III were awash in Azzurri blue, with fans waving banners that read “Go Sinner,” “The Sinners,” and “We support Sinner.”

And the Italian made the most of that energy, riding both the crowd support and his momentum through the tournament. Before getting the better of Carlos Alcaraz in the final, he had already come through strong tests against Alexander Zverev and Felix Auger-Aliassime in the earlier rounds, doing so in fairly comfortable fashion.

His serving was the key difference in the finals, something the Spaniard had also pointed out during the match. Sinner finished the match with that mental stamina that has become his trademark. 

As he clinched his first Masters title in Monte Carlo, he reflected on the moment with a clear sense of pride.

“It means a lot to me” Jannik Sinner reflects on historic Monte-Carlo win

The on-court interview after the match provided Jannik Sinner with an opportunity to place the victory into its proper perspective. He did so with the usual candor in admitting both the importance of the outcome and his physical condition when he reached the finish line.

“It means a lot to me. At the same time, the ranking is secondary. I’m very happy to win at least one big trophy on this surface. I haven’t done it before. It means a lot to me,” Sinner said as the Monte Carlo crowd roared around him.

The Italian had struggled in his R16 match against Tomas Machac, where he had to take a medical time out mid-match. He even lost the set in the tie breaker to the Czech, which broke his streak of winning 37 consecutive sets in the Masters tournament. 

He expounded upon the crucial breaking points of the final. In the second set, in which he found himself 1-3 down against Alcaraz, everybody thought the Spaniard would make a comeback and stretch the match into the third set. Then, Sinner found a level that the seven-time Grand Slam champion, committing 45 unforced errors in the breezy conditions, simply could not match. 

“I felt close on the return games. I had a feeling the new balls helped me. The ball change was at 2-1. I tried to stay there mentally. Trying to keep pushing. I felt a bit tired. I tried to keep up with the right mentality. Having this trophy with me now means a lot to me. It’s a completely different tournament. I come here, sleeping at home, and everything. It means a lot,” he said.

The reference to sleeping at home was no throwaway remark. Sinner lives in Monaco, and Monte Carlo is among the limited number of events on the calendar that he participates in without the hassle of traveling and accommodation. 

Having the title and the No. 1 ranking in the bag, Sinner is not rushing back into action. He will not be participating in the Barcelona Open, as Alcaraz will next week. He will directly head to the Mutua Madrid Open, a choice he announced beforehand, with the main focus of the clay season being Roland Garros.

The additional recovery period between Monte Carlo and Madrid offers him the time to prepare adequately for what will be the most significant period of tennis between this time and the French Open.

Four Masters 1000 titles in a row. World No. 1 reclaimed. And the clay season has only just begun.