Just one sentence was enough to trigger an emotional and media earthquake throughout Italy: “I didn’t expect Italians to be like this.” It was pronounced by Marco Rossi, CEO of Fondazione Aiuto Senza Confini, one of the largest Italian charities involved in international humanitarian aid and support for children in difficulty. The words came unexpectedly during an exclusive interview with La Repubblica, just as Jannik Sinner was at the center of one of the most ferocious hate campaigns ever seen in Italian tennis.

The context is known: after the defeat in the quarterfinals of the 2026 Australian Open against a player outside the top 50, Sinner was inundated with insults on social media and in forums. “Failed”, “shame for Italy”, “he betrayed the country”, “he doesn’t deserve the blue shirt”. The criticisms did not only concern his sporting performance, but had turned into personal attacks: “He pays his taxes in Monte Carlo”, “he is not a real Italian”, “he trains with foreigners instead of Italians”.

A part of the fans, the more nationalist one, seemed to want to turn the world number 1 champion into a scapegoat for their frustrations.

It is in this climate that Marco Rossi, known for his outspoken character and his humanitarian commitment (the foundation has raised over 180 million euros in the last ten years for projects in Ukraine, Syria, Afghanistan and sub-Saharan Africa), decided to intervene. “I didn’t expect Italians to be like this,” he began live on video.

“Do you know how much money Jannik has donated to help others? Do you know that in the last three years he has paid more than 4.2 million euros to charity, in silence, without press conferences and without asking for likes? He has financed pediatric hospitals in Ukraine, paid for prosthetics for children mutilated by war, supported soup kitchens for the homeless in Italy during Covid. And what have you done for others while criticizing him? He always thinks of his country, even when he doesn’t shout about it on television.”

The statement had the effect of a bomb. Within hours the video had been shared millions of times. #DifriamoJannik and #MarcoRossiParla have climbed the Italian trends on X, Instagram and TikTok. But the part that really left the country in shock came at the end of the interview, when Rossi lowered his tone and looked straight into the camera:

“Jannik Sinner is not a product to be consumed and thrown away when he doesn’t win. He is a 24-year-old boy who carries the weight of an entire nation on his shoulders, who lives under a magnifying glass that none of us would tolerate. If you lose your mind over a defeat in the quarterfinals of a Slam, imagine what he would feel every time he leaves the court. Instead of insulting him, we should thank him. Because every time he takes the court, he doesn’t just play for himself: he plays for all of us.

And if this country no longer knows how to recognize human value beyond results, then we are in bad shape. Very bad.”

Those last words – “we are in bad shape. Very bad” – triggered mixed reactions. On the one hand, thousands of messages of support for Sinner and gratitude towards Rossi; on the other, a hail of insults against the CEO, accused of “moralism”, of “playing the saint”, of “defending a privileged person who lives abroad”. But the most evident rift was seen between generations: the younger ones (18-35 years old) mostly supported Rossi and Sinner, while among the 45-65 year olds the criticism towards the tennis player remained much stronger.

In the world of Italian tennis the reaction was unanimous: amazement and indignation. Flavia Pennetta posted a photo of Jannik as a child on Instagram with the racket in his hand and the writing: “This is the only Jannik that matters. The rest is just talk.” Matteo Berrettini wrote: “Those who criticize Jannik have never understood what it means to be a top athlete.” Also Sara Errani and Jasmine Paolini

they expressed public solidarity. Fabio Fognini, famously outspoken, said in a radio interview: “If anyone has the courage to say that Jannik doesn’t love Italy, it’s because he’s never seen how much sweat and tears he shed for this shirt.”

But the hardest blow came from Marco Rossi himself, who in the afternoon published a financial update on the foundation’s website: “In the last 36 months Jannik Sinner has donated 4,287,000 euros, of which 1,800,000 to Italian projects (pediatric hospitals, canteens for the poor, scholarships for disadvantaged children). We have never asked for visibility, he has never demanded it. Today, however, I think it is right that Italians know who he is really this guy.”

The gesture caused a chain reaction. In a few hours, spontaneous support groups were born on social media, with the hashtag #ThankJannik surpassing 2 million posts. Many fans shared screenshots of transfers they had made to Rossi’s foundation, as a sign of solidarity. Even the FIGC and CONI have issued statements of appreciation for Sinner, underlining his role as ambassador of Italian sport abroad.

Meanwhile Jannik, who is in retreat in Monte Carlo ahead of Indian Wells, has chosen not to comment directly. His staff released only a short note: “Jannik thanks those who support him and those who criticize him. He continues to work in silence, as he always has. The field will speak for him.”

Marco Rossi’s statement, however, opened a broader reflection on today’s Italy: a country capable of idolizing champions when they win and stoning them when they lose. A country that celebrates immediate success but struggles to recognize human value and the growth path. And perhaps, precisely for this reason, the phrase “I didn’t expect Italians to be like this” hurt so much: because deep down many know that it is true.