Jannik Sinner’s resume is spectacular. He has 18 singles titles, two Grand Slams, and the coveted No.1 ranking- an achievement that places him at the top of both tennis and Italian sports history. Yet he has this one constant about him- his impeccable “poker face.” Remember his Australian Open or US Open trophy ceremony, where he didn’t show even a hint of emotion? Well, his “blank” expressions are being talked about now, thanks to his off-court Milan Fashion Week appearance.

On Friday, Jannik Sinner, the world No. 1, sent a powerful message to his rivals with a dominant 6-3, 7-6(5) exhibition victory over Stefanos Tsitsipas at Rod Laver Arena, ahead of the 2025 Australian Open. This impressive performance solidified Sinner’s status as the top contender in Melbourne. Soon after this intense match, Sinner looked in a lightened mood during the post-match on-court interview.

The conversation shifted towards his appearance at the Gucci show at Milan Fashion Week in September 2024. There he posed with fashion icon Anna Wintour and Hollywood legend Kirsten Dunst. The interviewer Andrea Petkovic, showing those two pictures on screen, jokingly remarked, “They don’t look particularly thrilled to be with you.” The audience erupted in laughter. “What happened there?” she asked.

Sinner, facepalmed, laughed and then replied, “Haha, I don’t know. That’s a good question. Phew! I really don’t know what to say. I have to say I look better on a tennis court than this kind of stuff. But no, it was, at least in my face, I saw I was happy to be there.” Petkovic concluded saying that she “just wanted to break your poker face once and i think i managed, so thank you for that moment!”

Sinner has previously opened up about his enigmatic personality during a live appearance on ABC’s “Kelly and Mark” show. He revealed that his poker face often masks a whirlwind of emotions.

“I changed sports because in skiing, if you make a mistake, you can no longer win. In tennis, you can make mistakes, accept them, and move on. It happened to me even in the final. Sometimes you have to play with a poker face, but inside it’s like there’s a storm. I grew up in the far north of Italy; we come from the mountains and nature. There are lots of animals, but it’s certainly not the jungle,” he joked.

After losing the first set to Corentin Moutet in the Roland-Garros quarterfinals, he mounted an impressive comeback to win in four sets (2-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-1). Reflecting on the match, Sinner acknowledged the importance of maintaining his composure. When reflected on Sinner expressions saying, “You don’t show much emotion on the court; you always have a poker face. Today was a bit special. You had to have even more of this poker face with the crowd, the atmosphere.”

Whether facing the pressure of Grand Slam finals, engaging in post-match banter, or mingling with fashion’s elite, Jannik Sinner’s poker face continues to be both his shield and his signature. Even Carlos Alcaraz sees him as the ultimate benchmark, which shows that Sinner’s Influence on the sport goes far beyond his mere expressions.

Carlos Alcaraz sees Jannik Sinner as his biggest rival in Australian Open 2025

Jannik Sinner’s dominance on the court hasn’t gone unnoticed, especially from his Spanish rival Carlos Alcaraz. The World No. 3 has admitted that Sinner’s success serves as a constant source of motivation and sees him as his biggest rival.

“The good thing for me is, when I’m seeing him winning titles, when I’m seeing him at the top of the ranking, it forces me to practice even harder every day,” Alcaraz said. “In practice, I’m just thinking (about) the things that I have to improve to play against him.”

The rivalry between them has become one of the most exciting narratives in tennis. Alcaraz also credited Sinner for pushing him to elevate his game. “That, I think, is great for me: Having him (and) such a great rivalry, so far, just to (force me to) give (my best), every day,” explained Alcaraz.

Through it all, Jannik Sinner’s defining trait has been to keep his emotions in check, which has also helped him navigate the highs and the lows of the sport.