Jannik Sinner says winning Wimbledon is the "most special thing" after acknowledging how tough it has been after returning from his three-month ban.
Sinner got revenge for his Roland-Garros defeat to Carlos Alcaraz at SW19, coming from behind to triumph 4-6 6-4 6-4 6-4 and clinch his maiden Wimbledon title in Sunday's showpiece.
He is the first Italian to win the grass-court major, as well as becoming the first player from his country to claim a men's or women's singles title on multiple surfaces at grand slam events.
Since returning from his three-month suspension after two positive drug tests for clostebol, a banned substance, Sinner has reached three finals – the Italian Open, the French Open and Wimbledon.
He has faced Alcaraz in all three but finally halted a five-match losing streak against the Spaniard, though he acknowledged this one was special after his struggles off the court.
"Winning Wimbledon is the most special thing you can have," he said.
"This [bouncing back after the French Open] is the part that I'm the proudest of because it really has not been easy. I always tried to be honest with myself and had the self-talk too, you know, what if, what if? I always tried to accept it, in a way.
"Things can happen. I believe if you lose a grand slam final that way [over five sets], it's much better like this than someone kills you, you know, that you make two games. Then, after you keep going, keep pushing.
"I did a lot of intensity in every practice because I felt like I could play very good. That's why I also said after Roland-Garros that it's not the time to put me down, no, because another grand slam is coming up, and I did great here.
"It has been very emotional, no, even if I don't cry. It feels emotional because only me and the people who are close to me know exactly what we have been through on and off the court, and it has been everything except easy.
"We've tried to push every practice session. I was struggling at times mentally, maybe even more in practice sessions, because when I play a match, I can switch off and then just play. I believe that it's helped me a lot.
"But to share this moment with my whole family here, it's the most amazing thing that could have happened to me. In Paris, it was only my mum, and it was still just an amazing feeling. And here [he had] my dad and my brother, and my mum, too, with the whole team."
