Jannik Sinner explained why he had a ‘strange’ Christmas (Image: YouTube Australian Open)
has opened up on the heartbreaking loss of his aunt after returning to Australia.
The world No. 1 is back in Melbourne to defend his crown after enjoying the festive season with his family.
But he admitted it was a “strange Christmas” for his family after his aunt passed away at the end of the year.
Sinner had a close relationship with his aunt. He to her last year and she passed away just a few weeks later.
Her loss was felt during the festive period, as Sinner explained how difficult it was to celebrate Christmas without his aunt. “Christmas is always nice to stay home with family,” the two-time Grand Slam champion told the .
“This year was so different for me because of the loss of my aunt. Just different, more stressful in a way. Feeling a missed person. Life sometimes gives you positives and good things.
“Sometimes it’s tough, especially because you’re such a close family. I love family and the people who are close to me and the people who trust me as a person.”
Jannik Sinner dedicated his US Open victory to his aunt shortly before she passed away (Image: Getty)
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Family has become even more important for Sinner since his doping saga last year, as he learned to surround himself with the right people. He continued: “Also with the situation I had because of the tennis last year. I’m still in it this year.
“I try to surround myself with people I really trust and my aunt was definitely one of them, and I could talk with her about everything. It was very nice.
“Trying to have people around us who we feel comfortable with, the people we love from our heart, is much more important than winning tournaments, even if winning tournaments is what we work for, for years and years. But yeah, strange Christmas.”
Asked whether he’d be carrying the memory of his aunt with him, Sinner replied: “Yeah. She’s a very rare person for my life. The people we love, we have to take care of them because, at the end of the day, they are the reason we are happy.”
The world No. 1 had paid tribute to his aunt after lifting his second Major trophy in Flushing Meadows in September.
“I would like to dedicate this title to my aunt because she is really not feeling well health-wise, I don’t know how much longer I’ll have her in my life,” he said after beating .
“It’s so nice that I can share positive moments still with her. She was a very important person for my life and she still is. So if that would be the biggest wish, I would wish everyone the best health to everyone but unfortunately it’s not possible.”