Jannik Sinner—the world’s top-ranked tennis player, three-time Grand Slam champion, and Gucci ambassador—isn’t just returning to the pro tour in a few weeks: He’s also using his outsized platform to support the next generation of young athletes. Earlier today, he formally launched the Jannik Sinner Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to empowering children around the globe through education and sports.
Long in development, the foundation will ensure—through various school programs, projects, and community initiatives—that both sports and education are more accessible to younger kids.
“For me, it’s an honor to support children and young athletes,” said Sinner in a press release. “Sports have taught me invaluable lessons: discipline, resilience, and the courage to stay true to myself—lessons that I believe are worth sharing. Through our work, we want to show kids what’s possible, not just in sports but in life.”
The foundation’s board will include Alex Vittur (the CEO of Avima and Sinner’s manager), Stefano Domenicali (the president and CEO of Formula 1), and Luca Maestri (the former CFO of Apple).
“Every child deserves equal opportunities, no matter their background,” said Vittur in a release. “We aim to break down social barriers and create spaces where sports and education become powerful tools for growth, inclusion, and hope.”
Sinner, 23, is certainly an athlete that kids could learn a thing or two from. Aside from that number-one ATP ranking (he is the first Italian to achieve the feat), Sinner has won 19 singles titles on the ATP Tour, including those three majors—at the 2024 Australian Open, the 2024 US Open, and this year’s Australian Open—along with the 2024 ATP Finals and four Masters 1000 titles. He is also one of the more popular players on the tour. Britain’s Jack Draper, a friend and former doubles partner of Sinner’s, told the press last week that beyond being a great athlete, Sinner is “a really genuine, nice person.”
Draper added, “I’m looking forward to having him back on the tour because I think his presence has been missed.”
Earlier this month, Sinner began training for his return to May’s Italian Open in Rome, following a controversial three-month suspension.(Sinner’s trainer had treated his hand with an over-the-counter spray containing a substance banned by the pro tour.)