The world's No. 1 in men's tennis, Yannick Sinner, is used to being in the spotlight with his Grand Slam titles and phenomenal play on the court. However, few know that his greatest pillar in life and "first best friend" is a man who deliberately runs away from fame - his older brother Mark (Marz).
Behind the strong male friendship between the two lies a touching, little-known and unusual family drama that began in the late 1990s in distant Russia.
When doctors say “no“, a big heart says “yes“
The story takes us back to the picturesque region of South Tyrol, Northern Italy. The tennis player's parents, Johann and Sieglinde Sinner, work tirelessly in a local ski hut - he as a cook, she as a waitress. The young family dreams of a child, but fate confronts them with a difficult test - medical forecasts are categorical that the two cannot have biological heirs.
Instead of giving up, Johann and Sieglinde decide to give their love to a child in need. In 1998, their eyes turned east, to an orphanage in the Russian city of Rostov-on-Don. There they discovered little Mark. When the boy was only 9 months old, the Italian couple went through the difficult procedures of international adoption and took him to his new home in the Alps.
The Miracle of Life: The Appearance of Yannick
After Mark brought joy to the house, something that medicine often calls a “psychological miracle“ happened. The peace of mind of a fulfilled parental dream removed barriers and just two years later - in August 2001 - Sieglinde became pregnant naturally and gave birth to Yannick.
“My brother was my idol and my first best friend. I started skiing at the age of two and a half, simply because I saw him on the slopes and I wanted to be like him“, the tennis player later shared in the rare moments when he lifted the curtain on his personal life.
Firefighter and Formula 1 fan: A life away from vanity
Although his younger brother earns tens of millions from prize money and advertising, Marc Sinner chooses to stay firmly on the ground in his hometown. Today he works as an instructor and trainer in the provincial fire department in Vilpiano, northern Italy.
„I am happy with everything Yannick achieves, I follow him every day. But I have my own life and he has remained the same. "Popularity hasn't changed us in the slightest," Marc says candidly in an interview with the Italian newspaper Alto Adige.
Their bond remains extremely strong, albeit funny. Marc is an avid Formula 1 fan. The Italian media often joke that the older brother is ready to miss Yannick's important final on the court if there is a race at the Imola track at the same time. However, when the tennis player's commitments allow, the two spend their time playing golf or having quiet evenings with the team.
“The best thing after big victories is sitting down to dinner with the people I love and with my brother. We are a completely normal family“, says Yannick Sinner, reminding the sports world that the most valuable titles are won first at home.