This time last year, Jannik Sinner was toiling in a series of $15,000 ITF Futures events in Tunisia, ranked outside the top 500 and posting a 2-3 record.
Now, he is tennis’ teen sensation, inside the top 80 and about to contest his first Australian Open – and just his second ever Grand Slam main draw.
“A little bit changed,” he laughed.
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The 18-year-old from northern Italy posted incredible results in a breakout 2019 season. After ending 2018 ranked No.763, he won three ATP Challenger titles as well as the Next Gen ATP Finals in Milan. That particular triumph caused everyone to sit up and take notice, given he thumped world No.18 Alex de Minaur in the final for the loss of just five games.
Notably, the previous two Next Gen Finals champions - Hyeon Chung in November 2017, and Stefanos Tsitsipas in November 2018 - went on to reach the Australian Open semifinals two months later.
“I think I'm still a little bit younger than them. So I think it's a little bit different,” Sinner said.
“I don't know if this year is going to be the momentum, or maybe two or three years after. I will need a little bit more time, I think.
“It can give you a little bit of confidence winning this (Next Gen) tournament and playing better in the end of the season.
"But after two weeks (here), we know everything."
Sinner begins his Australian Open 2020 fortnight against Australian qualifier Max Purcell.
Yet after building an impressive 62-24 win-loss record in 2019, this year has so far been underwhelming, with opening-round losses at the Challenger tournament in Bendigo to Emil Ruusuvuori and the ATP 250 event in New Zealand to Benoit Paire.
Sinner, whose goal is to play at least 60 matches in 2020, admits he hasn’t enjoyed an ideal start to his new season.
But with his brilliant ball-striking abilities, fluid game and still-enormous scope for improvement, the teenager did not appear too concerned when discussing his January results.
"The season, I didn't start it as I wanted. We didn't play so many matches before Australian Open, so it's not going to be easy for me,” he admitted.
“But I think we practiced well, our off-season we put in a lot of work. So I feel great on court. I feel quite well on court.
"I think day after day I feel better on court. Of course, the matches are a little bit different. But hopefully I can feel better than the first two matches.
"Especially here, we try to practice with the best guys. I was practising with Roger, Rafa, Zverev. I had some good practice sessions.”
Prominent practice partners such as these demonstrate Sinner’s reputation as one of the sport’s most highly rated rising stars. He has also spent plenty of time with five-time major champion Maria Sharapova, given they both share a coach in Riccardo Piatti.
These superstar interactions – documented on social media – coupled with his obvious talent have cast a spotlight on the young Italian, whose profile and fan-base continue to grow.
He remains, however, impressively unaffected.
“Maybe off court a little bit changed, but on court it's basically always the same,” he said.
"I'm young, so I think at the moment nothing is heavy, to make some interviews or pictures with fans or something like this. Just trying to keep it as simple as possible.
“This year is going not to be so easy for me. I think the focus is always trying to be on court the best as you can be, trying to improve your game day after day and that's our main goal.”