Remember when: Jannik Sinner's Bergamo Challenger triumph in 2019 was the start of his road to the top

As the ATP Challenger Tour returns to Bergamo this week, it’s impossible not to look back at one of the tournament’s most memorable stories: the moment a quiet, red-haired 17-year-old from South Tyrol announced himself to the tennis world.

His name was Jannik Sinner—and his first ATP Challenger title in February of 2019 was the beginning of a remarkable rise.

Back then, Sinner arrived in Bergamo almost out of nowhere. Fresh from an ITF Pro Circuit event in distant Aktobe, Kazakhstan, and armed with nothing but a wild card and a single hour of practice on the indoor courts, he stunned the field at the Internazionali di Tennis Trofeo Faip-Perrel. One victory followed the next: Lucas Miedler, then No.9 seed Salvatore Caruso, Viktor Galovic, No.4 seed Gianluigi Quinzi and Tristan Lamasine. His run culminated in a one-sided 6–3, 6–1 final win over fellow Italian Roberto Marcora.

Impressive performance

What stood out was not only Sinner’s age, but the authority with which he played. Calm, focused, barely betraying emotion, he overwhelmed seasoned opponents with his clean, aggressive ball-striking. The teenager showcased all the elements that today define his game: explosive forehands, a rock-solid backhand, quick movement despite his height and a willingness to finish points at the net.

“I got into the match straight away,” Sinner said after the championship match with typical understatement. “I felt good before the final, returned well and paid attention to his ball toss. Everything just went really well.”

More than 2,000 spectators packed into Bergamo’s historic PalaAgnelli Arena to celebrate the youngest Challenger champion of the 2019 season. Yet there was no talk of parties—only of work.

“I don’t think there will be a celebration. We will drive to Trento tomorrow, where my next tournament is,” he added, already looking ahead.

Even then, Sinner seemed unfazed by early hype. The label “first Challenger champion of the 2001 generation” made the rounds on tennis Twitter, but he shrugged it off. “Of course, you notice a few things, but honestly I don’t think much about those records,” he said—though he admitted to checking how other young talents were performing. Félix Auger-Aliassime was a natural reference point; Rudolf Molleker’s surprise run to the Heilbronn title the year before had also influenced Sinner and his team.

From skiing to the tennis courts

His path to professional tennis had been far from predictable. Growing up in the mountains, Sinner was originally far more invested in skiing—and not without success. “I was Italian champion in giant slalom in 2008 and vice-champion in 2012,” he recalled. But eventually, he considered the sport too dangerous and shifted his focus to tennis.

That decision led him to the Piatti Tennis Center in Bordighera at age 14, where he came under the guidance of the renowned Riccardo Piatti. “I feel very comfortable there. Riccardo is on court a lot and still trains at every level—with Borna Coric, with me, or with kids. It's incredible,” Sinner said. In Bergamo, he was accompanied by Andrea Volpini, another key figure in his development.

“I’ll try to play more Challenger events”

Despite jumping more than 200 spots to reach a career-high ranking of No. 324 after his title run, Sinner insisted that numbers mattered little.

“I used to look at the ranking a lot, but it didn’t help much,” he said. “The goal for the season is to play 70 to 75 matches at this level, with some quarterfinals and semifinals. I’ll try to play more Challenger events because I think the potential is there.”

He named Roger Federer as his ultimate idol and Andreas Seppi as another early influence—particularly after watching Seppi compete at home in Ortisei. “We know each other and have trained together sometimes. But Roger remains my number one,” Sinner said with a smile.

Looking back now, Sinner’s breakthrough week in Bergamo feels like the first chapter of a story that would soon accelerate beyond even his own quiet expectations. What began as a surprise run by a little-known teenager has since transformed into one of the most impressive career trajectories in modern tennis.

And as Bergamo hosts the Challenger Tour again this week, the memory of that 2019 title remains a reminder: sometimes, greatness announces itself long before the world is ready.