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Sinner famously made a decision to walk away from a possible career as a professional skier to try his luck in tennis, but the challenge he took on in his chosen sport was always going to be huge.
The Italian was not singled out as a rising star of the game in his junior years and he has now revealed that a plan was in place for him to walk away from tennis if he failed to shine in his early years on the ATP Tour.
"I told my parents when I left home that if I wasn't in the top 200 at 23 or 24, I would quit, because we couldn't afford it with the money we had, " he revealed in a press conference at Flushing Meadows.
"Traveling to tournaments costs a lot. If you have a coach, it's even more so. I was very lucky because I started earning money at 18, and that's when I felt more confident. When you're young, you just talk about a dream. You don't even really believe it.
"Sometimes I said, 'I want to become world No 1, or win a Grand Slam'. But those were just dreams. The position I'm in today was way beyond my dreams. Now it's different. Now I understand my potential.
"I understand that if I play well, I can win tournaments. The perspective is different. But if you ask me when I was young, my dream was just to break into the top 100. That would have been my happiness. Everything that came after that is a huge bonus."
Sinner also gave an update on his health, after he was forced to retire from his Cincinnati Masters final against Carlos Alcaraz last Monday due to illness.
"Physically, I feel good," continued Sinner. "You know, I have recovered mostly, not 100% yet, but we are aiming to be there in a couple of days.
"So should be all fine for the tournament. It was a virus, also some other players had it. Just sleeping and recovering. Nothing crazy.
"I'm very happy to be back here. It's obviously the last Grand Slam we have for this season so the motivations are very high."
Sinner has been handed a favourable draw at the US Open, with his great rival Carlos Alcaraz having less fortune after he was placed in a the bottom half of the draw with a host of dangerous opponents.
A clash between Sinner and Alcaraz in a third successive Grand Slam final could still be on the cards and the Italian is relishing that prospect.
"We're two different players," he added of Alcaraz. "He's obviously very fast on the court. With other players, the point could sometimes be over, but he gets to certain balls and therefore reads the game differently.
"Now we know each other better. It's a very tactical game. We have different styles, both in terms of our play and our attitudes on and off the court.
"We're simply different. At the same time, though, it's beautiful to watch, because it makes everything so interesting. The only thing we have in common is that we train hard. We make decisions based on the tennis.
"Right now, that's our priority, as it should be, because it's the little details that make the difference."
Issued on SABC Sport | https://www.sabcsport.com/news/jannik-sinner-my-career-is-way-beyond-my-dreams-i-didn-t-always-believe-in-myself
