![\"Jannik](\"https:\/\/sports.inquirer.net\/files\/2026\/07\/AP26184571933450-1200x800.jpg\")
<\/p>\nJannik Sinner of Italy plays a return throughout the third round men\u2019s singles match against Jenson Brooksby of america on the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Friday, July 3, 2026.(AP Photo\/Brian Inganga)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
LONDON \u2014 Clay, grass, hard court \u2014 and even snow.<\/p>\n
The surface underfoot doesn\u2019t appear to make any difference for Jannik Sinner.<\/p>\n
The highest-ranked player \u2014 who’s currently attempting to defend his title at Wimbledon \u2014 was certainly one of Italy\u2019s top junior skiers before he turned his attention full-time to tennis.<\/p>\n
READ: Wimbledon: Jannik Sinner survives scare, fall to achieve 2nd round<\/h4>\n
Now Sinner excels on every sort of court and his background as a skier may need helped his tennis game.<\/p>\n
Similar to an elite slalom skier perfectly shifting their weight forwards and backwards from one gate to the following, Sinner infrequently seems off balance as he rushes forwards and backwards across the baseline \u2014 despite his tall and lanky 6-foot-3 (1.91-meter) frame.<\/p>\n
Fellow tennis player Casper Ruud agreed that essentially the most impressive thing about Sinner is his movement.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s strong also in balance and versatile to get to certain positions,\u201d Ruud said. \u201cHe has good hip movement and knows learn how to slide (into) each corners.\u201d<\/p>\n
Skiing standout Lindsey Vonn also pointed to Sinner\u2019s ability to remain in balance.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe has a tremendous kinesthetic sense, which is a very important skill in each sports,\u201d Vonn told The Associated Press. \u201cHe may be very aware of his body in space and time, so although he’s tall, he moves fluidly and in sync.\u201d<\/p>\n
READ: Wimbledon: Jannik Sinner, Novak Djokovic into third round<\/h4>\n
Sinner won a national skiing championship when he was eight and placed second in Italian nationals at 12.<\/p>\n
In a 2009 giant slalom won by Sinner, Giovanni Franzoni \u2014 the breakout downhiller of last season \u2014 finished twelfth, 4 seconds behind.<\/p>\n
Franzoni is now the Kitzb\u00fchel downhill champion and the Olympic silver medalist.<\/p>\n
\u201cI used to be really good,\u201d Sinner said after his first Grand Slam title in 2024. \u201cBut then I had a few so-so seasons once I began competing against older athletes in slalom and giant slalom and when downhill got here into the image I weighed too little to compete.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo I kept on playing tennis,\u201d Sinner added. \u201cIn skiing, should you make a mistake you\u2019re out; it\u2019s a dangerous sport and it’s good to rise up early within the morning and enterprise outside in frigid temperatures. Tennis is a little more accessible. In the long run I feel I made the proper alternative.\u201d<\/p>\n
Vonn, who shares a standard sponsor with Sinner, once hit the slopes with the tennis star.<\/p>\n
READ: Jannik Sinner struggles with dizziness in French Open loss<\/h4>\n
\u201cHe skis similarly to how he plays tennis; he’s fluid, smooth, and makes it look easy,\u201d Vonn said in written comments. \u201cHis knees and hips are at all times parallel and he’s at all times in balance. I actually enjoyed skiing with him and I hope to do it again, but after his tennis profession!\u201d<\/p>\n
Many elite skiers include tennis of their summer training regimen. Vonn\u2019s fellow Olympic champion Bode Miller was a state highschool champion tennis player in Maine and his family ran a tennis academy in Recent Hampshire. He once attempted to qualify for the U.S. Open.<\/p>\n
\u201cI really like playing tennis. It\u2019s good for my footwork, mental strength and general athleticism,\u201d Vonn said. \u201cI do know of quite just a few skiers who play tennis as a type of cross training. It\u2019s a method to push myself physically and mentally. If you get physically drained, you could have to still be mentally strategic and funky under pressure. I really like that about tennis.\u201d<\/p>\n
Vonn was the highest World Cup downhiller last season at age 41 until her horrific crash on the Milan Cortina Olympics in February left her with a severely fractured left leg.<\/p>\n
Ruud, who’s Norwegian, was also a skier as a child, \u201cbut I don\u2019t move pretty much as good as him,\u201d he said of Sinner.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t necessarily consider because he did skiing when he was young, that\u2019s why he moves so well,\u201d Ruud said. \u201cI mean, have a look at (Carlos) Alcaraz: He didn\u2019t ski and he also moves pretty rattling well.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ultimately, Ruud suggested, it\u2019s just healthy for youths to try as many sports as they’ll.<\/p>\n
\u201cIrrespective of what it’s, whether it\u2019s skiing, running, golf. Doing things that keep you lively is great. I actually have never seen Jannik ski aside from videos. Can be fun to do a skiing competition someday,\u201d Ruud said with a smile.<\/p>\n
Kostyuk\u2019s gymnastics and backflips<\/h2>\n![\"Marta](\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=\")
![\"Marta](\"https:\/\/sports.inquirer.net\/files\/2026\/05\/AFP__20260502__A9MA3Q6__v1__HighRes__TennisWtaEspMadridOpen-1200x800.jpg\")
<\/p>\nUkraine\u2019s Marta Kostyuk does a backflip as she celebrates beating Russia\u2019s Mirra Andreeva throughout the 2026 WTA Tour Madrid Open tennis tournament final singles match on the Caja Magica in Madrid, on May 2, 2026. (Photo by Oscar DEL POZO \/ AFP)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
When Marta Kostyuk won the Madrid Open in May, she performed her customary title celebration: a backflip.<\/p>\n
It was a nod to the Ukrainian player\u2019s background in gymnastics, a sport she practiced until she was 11.<\/p>\n
While Kostyuk appreciated the physical a part of gymnastics, it was a stressful sport for her outside the gym.<\/p>\n
READ: Marta Kostyuk gets emotional win after missile attack at home in Ukraine<\/h4>\n
\u201cI needed to be super skinny. I had to manage what I eat. I’d weigh myself 20-30 times a day from 8 to 10 years old,\u201d Kostyuk said. \u201cThat had some consequences on me obviously that I needed to work through.\u201d<\/p>\n
Kostyuk also tore an abductor muscle while performing gymnastics as a child, which she called \u201ca very big injury.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat had also consequences in my profession,\u201d she said. \u201cI fixed them nevertheless it took some time. I don\u2019t find out about Jannik and if he ever got any bad injuries but I\u2019ve been there so there\u2019s at all times two sides. But of course it helped my tennis and I\u2019m blissful that I got out on the opposite side higher.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cobolli\u2019s football skills<\/h2>\n
French Open runner-up Flavio Cobolli was a talented soccer player and a member of Roma\u2019s youth club until he decided to focus fully on tennis.<\/p>\n
\u201cI actually have a superb physical skill and a whole lot of stamina, and perhaps football helped me (in that department),\u201d Cobolli said.<\/p>\n
Most of the soccer players he used to coach with as a child are professionals now and remain good friends, like Watford midfielder Edoardo Bove, Arsenal fullback Riccardo Calafiori, Atalanta winger Nicola Zalewski and Lazio winger Matteo Cancellieri.<\/p>\n
Djokovic was also a skier<\/h2>\n
Similarly to Sinner, Novak Djokovic grew up on a ski hill in Serbia and his father was a ski racer and instructor.<\/p>\n
Together with Djokovic, Sinner is certainly one of the few players who slides into shots on grass.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was at all times very natural,\u201d Sinner said of his sliding abilities. \u201cPerhaps the skiing was an enormous a part of (it) with the balance.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Jannik Sinner of Italy plays a return throughout the third round men\u2019s singles match against Jenson Brooksby of america on the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Friday, July 3, 2026.(AP Photo\/Brian Inganga) LONDON \u2014 Clay, grass, hard court \u2014 and even snow. The surface underfoot doesn\u2019t appear to make any difference for Jannik Sinner. Article […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":361261,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[338],"tags":[7218,1564,2939,30936,21619,18585,1616,1111],"class_list":["post-361260","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sports","tag-background","tag-helps","tag-jannik","tag-sinners","tag-skier","tag-skiing","tag-tennis","tag-top"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t
<\/p>\nUkraine\u2019s Marta Kostyuk does a backflip as she celebrates beating Russia\u2019s Mirra Andreeva throughout the 2026 WTA Tour Madrid Open tennis tournament final singles match on the Caja Magica in Madrid, on May 2, 2026. (Photo by Oscar DEL POZO \/ AFP)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
When Marta Kostyuk won the Madrid Open in May, she performed her customary title celebration: a backflip.<\/p>\n
It was a nod to the Ukrainian player\u2019s background in gymnastics, a sport she practiced until she was 11.<\/p>\n
While Kostyuk appreciated the physical a part of gymnastics, it was a stressful sport for her outside the gym.<\/p>\n
READ: Marta Kostyuk gets emotional win after missile attack at home in Ukraine<\/h4>\n
\u201cI needed to be super skinny. I had to manage what I eat. I’d weigh myself 20-30 times a day from 8 to 10 years old,\u201d Kostyuk said. \u201cThat had some consequences on me obviously that I needed to work through.\u201d<\/p>\n
Kostyuk also tore an abductor muscle while performing gymnastics as a child, which she called \u201ca very big injury.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat had also consequences in my profession,\u201d she said. \u201cI fixed them nevertheless it took some time. I don\u2019t find out about Jannik and if he ever got any bad injuries but I\u2019ve been there so there\u2019s at all times two sides. But of course it helped my tennis and I\u2019m blissful that I got out on the opposite side higher.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cobolli\u2019s football skills<\/h2>\n
French Open runner-up Flavio Cobolli was a talented soccer player and a member of Roma\u2019s youth club until he decided to focus fully on tennis.<\/p>\n
\u201cI actually have a superb physical skill and a whole lot of stamina, and perhaps football helped me (in that department),\u201d Cobolli said.<\/p>\n
Most of the soccer players he used to coach with as a child are professionals now and remain good friends, like Watford midfielder Edoardo Bove, Arsenal fullback Riccardo Calafiori, Atalanta winger Nicola Zalewski and Lazio winger Matteo Cancellieri.<\/p>\n
Djokovic was also a skier<\/h2>\n
Similarly to Sinner, Novak Djokovic grew up on a ski hill in Serbia and his father was a ski racer and instructor.<\/p>\n
Together with Djokovic, Sinner is certainly one of the few players who slides into shots on grass.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was at all times very natural,\u201d Sinner said of his sliding abilities. \u201cPerhaps the skiing was an enormous a part of (it) with the balance.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Jannik Sinner of Italy plays a return throughout the third round men\u2019s singles match against Jenson Brooksby of america on the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Friday, July 3, 2026.(AP Photo\/Brian Inganga) LONDON \u2014 Clay, grass, hard court \u2014 and even snow. The surface underfoot doesn\u2019t appear to make any difference for Jannik Sinner. Article […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":361261,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[338],"tags":[7218,1564,2939,30936,21619,18585,1616,1111],"class_list":["post-361260","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sports","tag-background","tag-helps","tag-jannik","tag-sinners","tag-skier","tag-skiing","tag-tennis","tag-top"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t