The classy move Jannik Sinner made after losing for the very first time on the ATP Tour back in 2019

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Jannik Sinner has enjoyed a phenomenal career on the ATP Tour so far, with plenty more success certain to go his way.

Aged just 24, he has reached number one in the world rankings and boasts 21 ATP titles, four of which have arrived at Grand Slam level.

Sinner has also lost two Grand Slam finals, while he needs only the French Open trophy to complete the career Grand Slam.

That feat was almost achieved this season, but the Italian lost out in the Roland Garros final to his ATP rival Carlos Alcaraz.

Sinner also lost this year’s US Open final to the Spaniard, although he was able to beat Alcaraz in the Wimbledon final, with Alexander Zverev his victim in the Australian Open final.

The classy move Jannik Sinner made after making his ATP Tour debut in 2019

It was only six years ago that the superstar started his stunning journey, with Sinner debuting at the ATP 250 in Budapest in 2019.

He lost in the round of 16 back then, with Budapest tournament director Attila Richter once sharing insight into what happened in the immediate aftermath.

READ MORE: What Jannik Sinner’s team are expected to change after he suffers badly with cramp in Shanghai and is forced to withdraw

As he shared with the ATP Tour website in 2024, the director left the venue before the end of the match for a meeting in the city, only to be called back because Sinner was waiting for him for a talk.

Richter explained: “Jannik was sitting in the players’ lounge already with all his luggage and everything around him in one of the boxes, so I go up to him and say, ‘Hi, here I am, is there an issue?’

“He stands up and says no issue at all. He just wanted to thank me for the wild card. That sort of already then gave me the impression not only seeing him playing tennis, but also it gives you that feeling that you have with Jannik also today – what a really, really nice, nice guy he is, how good he was raised and his manners. So he actually sat there for an hour and a half, waiting for the tournament director.”

What Jannik Sinner was spotted doing on court after losing at the Budapest Open

The teenager was indeed awarded a wild card for the event, after the Italian Tennis and Padel Federation and Sinner’s team asked Richter if it was possible.

Marin Cilic and two Hungarians received main draw wild cards, with the 17-year-old Italian handed one for qualifying.

Sinner beat Lukas Rosol in qualifying, but quickly fell to Yannick Maden, only to be reinstated as a lucky loser.

An opening win was secured against Mate Valkusz, but Laslo Djere then brought his roller-coaster run to an end, handing him his first ATP main draw defeat.

Sharing his recollections of the event in which he defeated Sinner, Maden said: “I just remember that I played a somewhat straightforward match, a bit more stable than him, but he was already playing pretty fast and somewhat consistent.

“But it didn’t bother me that day too much. But it was so close. And I remember also my coach said afterwards that the guy hits the ball really clean.

“I remember even after beating him, the next day in the morning, I think I had off and we went off-site somewhere to practise.

“I saw him hitting again. So [a] really good, diligent worker, always a really nice guy, even after he really shot up in the rankings.”

Just over five years after that debut ATP appearance in Budapest, Sinner rose to number one in the world rankings.

He’s now looking to steal back that title from Alcaraz, although it does seem likely that the Spaniard will take the year-end crown this time around.