A moment perhaps shared even more than the Jannik Sinner winning shot was the World No.1 and now US Open champion kissing his girlfriend and fellow tennis pro, Anna Kalinskaya. But he has quick to bat away questions about it.
He spoke about his aunt and how he is savouring the time he still has with her and he was asked about both his aunt and also the Kalinskaya kiss. But he was quick to say he wasn’t answering anything on it.
He said that both are family matters and that he wouldn’t answer about it. Sinner and Kalinskaya’s relationship has courted much attention with the Russian being a top 15 WTA star in her own right.
But has also seen a negative side with Nick Kyrgios gaining much criticism and claims of misogyny for calling her a second serve which he promptly deleted. Whilst he was commentating on the final of the women’s tournament, there was swift calls to try to take him off the air as he was on ESPN.
The outspoken Aussie will hope it brushes over after a tournament in which he also caught flack for criticising the Sinner doping ordeal where the Italian failed two doping tests and Kyrgios was one of the leading proponents to speak out against it.
Asked by an interviewer from Ubitennis: “Jannik, forgive me for asking this. Italians want to know the first name of your aunt to whom you dedicated your victory. And then, you are aware that the whole world saw the kiss (with Kalinskaya), are you happy about that?”
“I don’t want to answer one or the other. It’s a family thing,” responded Sinner.
He also spoke about the toll that the doping scandal has had on him saying that he’s had sleepless nights but that it has made him grow. “Since the news came out, I’ve been sick, I haven’t slept, I’ve had many sleepless nights and then when there’s tension involved it’s even more difficult, but it’s made me grow and that’s why I’ve won so many games.”