How I Travel: Jannik Sinner Can Fall Asleep Anywhere—Especially on a Great Hotel Couch

Jannik Sinner is with me on a cruise. Not words I ever thought I’d say. But there he was, sitting across from me as our ship, the spanking-new Explora III, proceeded to dock in Marseille. Later, we would ride the elevator together, chatting about Formula One, and even play paddle on the same court (not at the same time; I could never). We weren’t traveling together, exactly, but we weren’t exactly not traveling together, either.

Sinner, who is the luxury cruise company’s global brand ambassador and helps shape its athletic and wellness routines for guests, was fresh off his Wimbledon win—and not too far removed from what would be his quest for a second US Open title. His life as the men’s world No. 1 singles tennis player, he says, is spent on the road, so a different vantage point from the sea is both welcome—and calming.

“It’s so nice to be far away from everything—hidden in a way,” he says. Sinner chatted with Condé Nast Traveler about traveling by sea, his go-to comfort food on the road, and how much he longs for time at his parents’ home in South Tyrol in the Dolomites. He also explains why, if you see him dashing through an airport terminal, you should probably resist the urge to stop him for a selfie.

The one region in Italy he hasn’t traveled

The one region in Italy he hasn’t traveled enough in—and wants to go to:
In Italy, it’s hard to go wrong, because we have everything: the sea, we have mountains, we have hills. But I think Tuscany, specifically the Tuscan Hills is a little bit underrated. It’s very beautiful, with a lot of sunshine, a lot of nature, and a lot of peace. I’ve been there once, but I would love to go back some more.

The trip he could never tire of:
Has to be to my parents’ home [in the German-speaking province of South Tyrol] in northern Italy, to be honest, because I left home when I was around 13 years of age. So every time I come back to see my parents or family, it’s something really, really special. It’s what always helps me rest and recover as well. I don’t go a lot. Maybe two or three times a year and, yeah, it’s never enough.

A comfort meal he orders after a long day of playing tennis:
We need a lot of carbohydrates, so I would say pasta… Probably a rigatoni, which is my favorite pasta shape, with some tomato sauce, and some salad as well. When I’m on a break from playing, and I go home to my parents, it’s a wiener schnitzel, this Austrian dish which is a crispy fried veal cutlet. That’s my comfort food.

The items that always make

The items that always make it to his carry-on:
An iPad for downloading movies or a television series, AirPods because I like to listen to music, and that’s it really. I’m actually a good sleeper, so during flights I sleep a lot and the time goes way faster. The one thing I wish I could carry on my travels is my mattress! For us tennis players it’s very difficult because we are constantly changing beds, as well as mattresses; every tournament we sleep somewhere new.

So I would say having the same bed or mattress would be so good. What he thinks of journeying by sea:
I mean [the Explora III is] very, very elegant. And the quality of the food… I’ve eaten here now for a couple of days, and it’s really, really good. I think this basically is like an amazing hotel. A hotel that moves around the world. Yesterday we were in Genova, and today we are in Marseille.

You know—as tennis players—we get so much attention all the time, and are always under pressure to perform. And of course everyone handles it differently, but I always like to step away from the limelight. Back when I was young I would’ve never thought about escaping to the middle of the sea, but it’s somewhere where I feel like you’re kind of untouchable, and you can switch off your phone.

That to me is priceless

And that to me is priceless. Where we’d find him hiding on a ship:
Well, there’s the amazing paddle court upstairs on deck 14. But being on a ship like this, I might get away to one of the swimming pools or perhaps a jacuzzi. Favorite feature of a hotel:
Quiet and calm. I don’t like a hotel that’s too busy and full of people. And I’m kind of strict about that. We play so much tennis a year and recovery periods are so important, even if it’s a short one.

To perform well, you need to be more rested. Any travel rituals we should know about?:
It’s more a wellness ritual. After a tennis match it’s always an ice bath for me, which I know is not that relaxing but it’s important. And then of course the jacuzzi, which releases tension and relaxes the muscles. Longevity is always top of mind as a player, and it’s something you know you can work towards.

There’s so many new tools, and you see new routines on social media all the time that you think you might try out. A sport (other than tennis) he enjoys traveling for?:
It has to be Formula One. I’m a big F1 fan, so I like to, if I have the time, go to races. Because my schedule is very busy, it’s tough to do, but I do enjoy watching a race. The qualifying race in Monaco would be really cool, especially since I live there—it’s a bucket-list race and qualifying is always the most exciting part.

I haven’t been there in person yet,

I haven’t been there in person yet, but it’s on my list. His favorite hotel (or cruise) amenity:
I’m someone who needs a great couch in my room. I’m a big couch lover, and sometimes I fall asleep at the couch and don’t move to my bed even though it’s three or four meters away. So that’s definitely something that makes me very happy to have. It makes me feel “at home” in a certain way.

Rapid-fire time: Arriving at the airport early or just in time? Just in time. Late enough that I nearly miss my flight. Aisle seat or window seat? Window always, so I can rest my head. Restaurant or room service? It depends on scenarios, to be honest, but I like restaurants a little bit more. Gets you out of the room. Carry-on or checked luggage? I need to go with checked because we carry so much stuff, but I would love to travel only with with carry-on—my backpack, and that’s it.

That’s a dream.

Source: www.cntraveler.com