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Jannik Sinner recently said he's proud to be Italian. However, not long after the World No. 1's patriotic admission, the national secretary of a prominent workers' union in Italy opined that the four-time Major champion should live in his home country and pay his taxes there if he is as proud as he states.During a recent conversation with Sky Sports, Sinner was quizzed about his thoughts on how he is perceived in Italy. The ATP star's roots in a predominantly German-speaking region of Italy has often shaped negative opinion of him elsewhere in the country. Further criticism has come his way due to him choosing Monte Carlo in Monaco as his place of residence, as well as his controversial decision to withdraw from the 2025 Davis Cup Finals.Part of Jannik Sinner's answer to the question went:"I’m proud to be Italian, I’m very happy to be born in Italy and not in Austria or anywhere else."More recently, Barbara Tibaldi, the national secretary of the Italy-based workers' union FIOM-CGIL, opined that Sinner should prove his stated pride in being Italian by living in the country and paying taxes proudly. Speaking on the Italian television program Realpolitik, Tibaldi said:"Sinner is the product of a culture that was built in this country due to the irresponsibility of many families and entrepreneurs. So if you're proud to be Italian , you contribute to the good of your country. And you're proud to pay taxes in Italy."It's worth noting that Sinner isn't the only tennis player who lives in Monte Carlo. The Monagesque destination has long been favored by tennis players for its high-quality training facilities as well as its status as a tax haven where residents aren't required to cough up personal income and capital gains taxes.Other prominent names in tennis to have called Monte Carlo their home include Novak Djokovic, Daniil Medvedev, Alexander Zverev and Stefanos Tsitsipas."The best thing about Monaco is..." - Jannik Sinner disclosed what endears country on French Riviera to himJannik Sinner during an on-court interview at the 2025 Paris Masters (Source: Getty)Not long after his maiden Major title triumph at the 2024 Australian Open, Jannik Sinner attended a press conference in Rome, Italy. Here, he was asked about his thoughts on living in Monte Carlo, Monaco. Citing the location's training facilities and his ability to lead live like a normal person there, Sinner said:"The best thing about Monaco is that there are many players with whom you can train, the facilities are perfect. I feel at home there. I'm happy there, I have a normal life, I can go to the supermarket with zero problems."Right now, Jannik Sinner is in the Italian city of Turin, preparing for his ATP Finals title defense. Even though Sinner is the World No. 1 as things stand, there could be a late twist in the tale as far as the year-end No. 1 ranking is concerned depending on his and rival Carlos Alcaraz's results in Turin.
