After the Davis Cup controversy, returning home to compete, Sinner reiterated: representing Italy is a tremendous honor.

The ATP Turin Finals continued last night, with local star Sinner entering to a packed arena and thunderous applause. He comfortably defeated Canadian player Auger-Aliassime in straight sets, starting his campaign to defend the ATP Finals title.

Notably, just weeks ago, this Italian athlete faced a public backlash after deciding to withdraw from the November Davis Cup, with some even calling for him to be stripped of his role as Italy’s sports ambassador. This tournament marks his return to Italy following that withdrawal controversy.

Shortly after withdrawing from the Shanghai Masters, Sinner publicly announced he would not participate in this year’s Davis Cup Finals, explaining that he needed time to recover at the end of the season. He admitted, “The pressure, matches, and emotions after wins and losses all require time to process. Especially at season’s end, a week feels very long for us athletes.”

In his statement, Sinner also emphasized that his absence would not weaken the Italian team, saying, “Even without me, we have a very strong squad. We have Cobolli, Musetti, and an excellent doubles team!”

However, Sinner’s reasonable explanation was not accepted by everyone. Following his Davis Cup withdrawal announcement, a storm of criticism erupted. Several Italian tennis legends condemned his decision as unpatriotic, and some Italian media openly questioned his Italian identity, writing, “Was he even born in Italy? He calls Vienna his home court, lives in Monte Carlo, and doesn’t even speak Italian. How can our country have someone like this?” Additionally, the NGO CODACONS, focused on consumer and civic rights, repeatedly challenged him and even demanded the revocation of all his official honors.

Despite ongoing controversy, Sinner responded to doubts about his patriotism with both words and actions on the ATP Finals stage in Turin.

“I am proud to be Italian, and I am happy to have been born in Italy rather than Austria or elsewhere,” Sinner stressed before the Finals began.

Regarding his South Tyrol background, he commented, “Some say South Tyrol is different, Sicily is completely different, but that is also our fortune; our strength lies in our diversity.”

In a post-match interview after defeating Auger-Aliassime, Sinner emotionally expressed his feelings for his homeland: “This country has given me a lot… Representing Italy has always been a great honor.” At that moment, he enjoyed the cheers of the home crowd. “It’s a privilege to give back to my country. Having the chance to compete in Italy… in Rome… here… it feels amazing.”

He gave special thanks to the home fans: “Playing in front of such a large home crowd is incredible. Seeing the stadium fully packed is truly amazing.”

Some netizens commented, “Sinner’s experience is quite poignant. When he brings glory to Italy, the media call him a ‘national hero,’ but when he withdraws from the Davis Cup due to health reasons, he becomes headline news for criticism. As a player, he even has to prove whether he is truly Italian — isn’t that ironic?”

The professional tennis season is long and intense. Under the spotlight at the year-end Finals, Sinner calmly addressed the controversy, saying, “At the end of the day, I am a tennis player, and I want to do my best.” That statement says it all.(Source: Tennis Home, Author: Lu Xiaotian)