The Gazzetta dello Sport’s decision to honor Lorenzo Musetti as Italian Athlete of the Year in 2025 has ignited significant debate among tennis fans, who argue that Jannik Sinner’s exceptional performance throughout the season makes the award selection highly questionable.
The Italian media outlet’s choice has become a focal point of discussion on social media, with many questioning how the award could be given to a player whose achievements stand in sharp contrast to his compatriot’s dominant year.
The Stark Difference in Jannik Sinner and Lorenzo Musetti’s 2025 Season
Gazzetta Dello Sport named Musetti as their Italian Athlete of the Year, despite Sinner’s extraordinary dominance throughout 2025. The distinction between the two players’ seasons could hardly be more pronounced.
Sinner captured six titles during the year, including two Grand Slam championships at the Australian Open and Wimbledon, alongside the prestigious ATP Finals. He also won the Paris Masters, Vienna Open, and China Open, demonstrating remarkable consistency across different surfaces and tournament levels.
Beyond titles, Sinner maintained an exceptional 58-6 win-loss record, approximately a 91% win rate that showcased his dominance throughout the campaign. His performance on indoor hard courts proved particularly commanding, establishing a 31-match winning streak – one of the longest such streaks on tour.
Thanks to these achievements, Sinner reigned as the World No. 1 player for the majority of 2025; however, losing the top position to Carlos Alcaraz near the end.
In sharp contrast, Musetti compiled a 45-22 win-loss record during 2025 but failed to secure any ATP titles. His best results included reaching the Monte Carlo Masters 1000 final, where he fell to Alcaraz, and advancing to the French Open semifinals before retiring due to injury. Musetti initially fell one win short of direct qualification for the ATP Finals in Turin, losing to Novak Djokovic in the Athens championship final.
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However, after Djokovic withdrew from the season-ending tournament due to a shoulder injury, Musetti entered the finals field as a direct replacement. Despite winning against Alex de Minaur, he lost to Alcaraz and Taylor Fritz, ending his campaign at Turin in the group stage.
It’s worth noting that other Italian players achieved more in 2025 than Musetti. Flavio Cobolli won two ATP titles at the Țiriac Open in Bucharest and the Hamburg Open, finishing with a 34-27 record and reaching World No. 17. On the other hand, Luciano Darderi captured three ATP titles at Marrakech, Bastad, and Umag, compiling a 29-27 record and climbing to World No. 26.
Both players contributed significantly to Italy’s third consecutive Davis Cup victory without losing a match, with Cobolli playing a key role as the Italian No. 1 after Sinner’s withdrawal.
How Did the Tennis Community React to the Decision?
The award decision has prompted swift reactions from tennis followers across social media platforms, who see Sinner’s credentials as substantially more compelling than Musetti’s achievements this year. Supporters point to the gap between winning multiple Grand Slams and Masters 1000 titles against reaching only one Masters final without a trophy to show.
MORE: Frances Tiafoe Rejects Narrative That Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner are Unbeatable in Bold Claim
Simply highlighting the trophy difference between both players, one fan wrote, “Yeah, give it the dude who didn’t win a single trophy this year.”
Yeah give it the dude who didn’t win a single trophy this year
— Happy Post Devi Day!! (@YutaBri) December 11, 2025
Another fan listed Sinner’s achievements in 2025 and wrote, “So you have the winner of Wimbledon, the Australian Open, the ATP Finals, and tournaments in Paris, Vienna, and Beijing, but Musetti is named athlete of the year. Well, that’s surprising, or maybe not, considering the organizer.”
So you have the winner of Wimbledon, the Australian Open, the ATP Finals, and tournaments in Paris, Vienna, and Beijing, but Musetti is named athlete of the year. Well, that’s surprising, or maybe not, considering the organizer. https://t.co/w4GFEm9LQf
— Dominika (@nitka15241) December 11, 2025
A fan was so surprised by the announcement, they questioned, “This is a joke, right???”
This is a joke, right???
— Jane I Margolies (@I46816Jane) December 11, 2025
“They’re still mad at Sinner for not playing Davis Cup LMAO,” wrote a fan, stating Sinner’s withdrawal from Davis Cup was the reason behind the decision.
They’re still mad at Sinner for not playing Davis Cup LMAO
— Joanna (@sheisvme) December 11, 2025
Questioning the decision, one fan wrote, “???? this has to be ragebait cause the ACTUAL Italian number 1 won 2 grandslams, 1 master 1000, atp finals, is currently world number 2 and STILL MUSETTI IS THE ITALIAN OF THE YEAR ?!?! ”
???? this has to be ragebait cause the ACTUAL Italian number 1 won 2 grandslams, 1 master 1000, atp finals, is currently world number 2 and STILL MUSETTI IS THE ITALIAN OF THE YEAR ?!?! https://t.co/NzunjJ0l5a
— cherry (@packetofsoup) December 11, 2025
“Imagine being given an award so obviously out of spite for the obvious winner ,” another fan wrote.
Imagine being given an award so obviously out of spite for the obvious winner
— Caro Daniels (@Carstizo) December 11, 2025
A fan acknowledged Sinner’s dominant performance in 2025 and wrote, “Bro, I’m no sinner fan but imagine someone from your country literally won Wimbledon and the athlete of the year goes to a guy who hasn’t won anything in the last 3 years ”
Bro, I’m no sinner fan but imagine someone from your country literally won Wimbledon and the athlete of the year goes to a guy who hasn’t won anything in the last 3 years https://t.co/wkIpvHY94N
— SK (@Djoko_UTD) December 11, 2025
While Gazzetta dello Sport’s choice recognizes Musetti’s achievements, the gap between his and Sinner’s 2025 performances remains significant. The debate highlights how subjective awards can be when comparing players with vastly different levels of success within the same season.
