More South Tyroleans, but fewer foreigners at the ATP Finals

Jannik Sinner moves the South Tyroleans. This discovery is not new and has now been confirmed in numbers. However, foreign tennis fans are losing ground at the ATP Finals in Turin.

10. November 2024

From Turin

One of the most important competitions of the year starts for Jannik Sinner on Sunday evening. After the world no. 1. missed the Masters in Rome due to illness, he is now playing in front of his Tifosi for the first time this season – and at the same time in front of many of the South Tyroleans. More than a thousand tennis enthusiasts from our country got tickets for the event in the Inalpi Arena to watch the South Tyrolean superstar up close.

As the Italian tennis association FITP announced at a press conference, 99 percent of the tickets have already been sold. Compared to the previous year, when sales only grew rapidly after Sinner’s victory at the Masters 1000 tournament in Toronto, the rush for tickets began in January. No wonder, because Sinner won the Australian Open at this point. 60,000 cards were already gone after the first month of the year.

More than 1000 South Tyroleans in Turin

The distribution of tickets between the countries of origin is interesting. While fans from 88 countries came to Turin last year, this year there are spectators from 101 countries. Uncertain: Last year 56,000 fans from abroad went through the turntables, this year there are only 26,000. The reason for this is that sales outside the Piedmont region – and therefore also in South Tyrol – have increased significantly. While there were around 57,000 fans in 2023, this year there are almost 90,000 enthusiasts coming from other regions of Italy.

“This year, Jannik’s excellent start to the season caused such a desire among the Italians to participate that the offer was quickly dismissed and the foreigners were dismissed early, ” explained FITP President Angelo Binaghi.

This year’s edition is likely to be the first since 2001 in which Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal or Novak Djokovic are not also taking part. Sinner & Co still don’t have the same appeal overseas as the “Big 3”. The fact that almost every ticket was sold shows that tennis still inspires the masses even without its golden generation.