Aged 22, Jannik Sinner just made history.

On Sunday night in front of the Australian Prime Minister and several A-list celebrities, 22-year-old Jannik Sinner did something incredible. 

He fought his way back from being two sets down against Daniil Medvedev to be crowned winner of the 2024 Australian Open with a 3-6 3-6 6-4 6-4 6-3 victory. 

Watch his win here:

His win made history. He is the first Italian to win an Australian Open, the first Italian male to win a grand slam since 1976 and the youngest Australian Open men's champion since 2008.

So who is our new men's champion? Relax, we've done all the digging for you.

A childhood choice.

Sinner grew up in the small village of Sexten in Northern Italy where his dad was the chef and his mum the waitress for the nearby popular Ski Lodge, Talschlusshütte Hut. 

Naturally, he spent a lot of time on the slopes and was a champion skier as a kid, winning the national championship aged eight. 

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He's also had a racket in his hand since the age of three, but set it aside for a few years to focus on skiing. His dad was the one who encouraged him to follow his talents in tennis and by the age of 12 it was his sole focus. He preferred that it gave him the chance to recover from mistakes and actively problem-solve - in sharp contrast to competitive skiing. 

Aged 13 he moved across the country to learn from the Piatti Tennis Centre, living with the family of one of his coaches. 

When asked about his parents, Sinner credits them for his hard work and ethics. 

"I have it from my parents because they are working every day a simple job. They know what it means to work hard. They gave me this kind of mindset, always trying your best day after day and trying to don’t lose energy during your job," he told ATP Tour News.

How firing his coach became Sinner's turning point. 

Sinner first stepped onto the international tennis stage aged 16, competing on the junior circuits. After seven years under the guidance of coach Riccardo Piatti, six ATP titles and a top-10 rankings Sinner shocked the tennis world by firing his long-time coach in 2022. 

The then 20-year-old had only recently been defeated in the Australian Open quarterfinals where he'd told the waiting press, "The defeat makes me realise that I still have a lot to learn". 

Sinner in 2019. Image: Getty/Clive Brunskill.

"I did what I thought was good for me, even if the decision was not easy to take," he told Tennis World of his decision. 

Under the guidance of Simone Vagnozzi and Aussie legend Darren Cahill - affectionately known as 'Killer' - Sinner has had an impressive two years with his new-look team.

In 2023 he claimed his maiden Masters 1000 in Toronto and climbed to fourth position on the ATP rankings. Now, in 2024, he's an Australian Open champion. 

His success has come with a bunch of lucrative partnerships including Gucci and Ferrari, with the 22-year-old already boasting an estimated net worth of $12 million. 

For his win on the weekend, Sinner pockets $2.08 million in prize money.

The story behind his carrot-wearing fans.

If you've watched any of Sinner's matches, you might've spotted a bunch of carrots in the crowd.

Beneath the bright orange costumes are six childhood friends from Italy who travel the world supporting Sinner. 

Known as 'the Carota Boys' the name was inspired after Sinner apparently ate a carrot during a changeover in Vienna in 2019. 

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"We’ve followed him for several years because, like us, he’s a humble guy and he’s Italian so we love the way that he speaks and plays," they told ausopen.com.

The men, who have been following him around dressed as carrots since mid last year, have amassed more than 106,000 followers on Instagram and have signed a sponsorship deal with Italian coffee producer Lavazza. 

A model girlfriend and a private relationship.

Sinner has been dating model and influencer Maria Braccini on-and-off for about three years.

The pair are rarely pictured together publicly, choosing to use their celebrity to promote their careers only. 

Even with 211,000 followers on Instagram, Braccini's profile remains private. 

Maria Braccini, Sinner's girlfriend. Image: Instagram.

"Whether or not I am with a girl will never be known on social media, because I want to keep my private life private," Sinner said, according to The Sun.

"I don’t need to post a photo to show whether I’m engaged. I never posted pictures with my parents, maybe one with my brother."

So what can we expect next? 

Sinner's reputation is of a kind, passionate player with a huge career ahead of him. 

American Chris Eubanks told ESPN, "Jannik is one of the most popular guys in the locker room.

"I think all the players take a sense of pride and happiness to see his success on this stage. He is a player that gets along with everyone, speaks to everyone, whether it is the locker room attendants, the other players, saying good luck..."

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He's a refreshing face for the men's side of the sport which has been peppered in recent years with the controversies of players like Novak Djokovic and Nick Kyrgious. But he hasn't been immune to controversy. 

After deciding to sit out of the Tokyo Olympics to improve his game, fans criticised him for relinquishing the opportunity to represent his country claiming it was confirmation he didn't really 'care' about Italy. 

During Wimbledon last year he made headlines for arguing with an umpire. 

But he was quick to apologise telling the BBC, "I did apologise to the crowd. Sorry again guys. Usually I'm quite calm but sometimes it happens. From my side there was some tough calls. It happens." 

Headlines aside, his GQ profile quotes him as describing himself as a "simple man just trying to enjoy playing tennis".

Feature image: Getty.

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