WATCH: Jannik Sinner gets rockstar welcome from singing fans in Turin

Jannik Sinner received an unforgettable welcome back to Italy over the weekend, as he prepared to compete on home soil for the first time in his whirlwind year.

The world No. 1 arrived in Turin for the Nitto ATP Finals, and he was met by a crowd of delighted fans gathered outside his hotel. Carrying homemade signs and orange Sinner merch, they received the 23-year-old with a standing ovation, and quite a few “ole ole” football chants while singing his name.

In an Instagram video shared by the Italian Tennis Federation, Sinner was seen coming outside to wave to fans and thank them for their support, as security detail stood on standby.

Read More: Jannik Sinner insists "I don't play for money" when asked about Six Kings Slam payout

‘Sinner Mania’ has been bubbling in Italy all year long, as his profile has risen globally throughout his stellar 2024 season: His Australian Open victory prompted a reaction from the Pope, he was feted by Gucci in London ahead of Wimbledon and he was recently named one of the most marketable athletes in the world by SportsPro.

Read More: Coco Gauff laps Novak Djokovic as most marketable tennis player in the world

But for the Italian public, it will be their first chance to watch their national hero compete on home soil since his rise to the top. Sinner had been scheduled to compete at the Internazionali BNL d’Italia in Rome back in May, but had to pull out of the tournament due to a hip injury.

Despite a few physical setbacks—including a bout of tonsillitis that kept him out of the Olympic Games in Paris and a virus that saw him pull out of last week's Rolex Paris Masters—and a controversial doping case still playing out in the background, Sinner has been the dominant force with a 65-6 record on the season.

Coached by Darren Cahill and Simone Vagnozzi, Sinner has already racked up two Grand Slam titles and three Masters 1000 titles (Miami, Cincinnati, Shanghai), and secured year-end world No. 1 status.

Sinner was the first player to qualify for the 2024 edition of the ATP Finals, booking his ticket back to Turin in August. Sinner previously reached the final at last year’s event, where he fell to Novak Djokovic in a thriller.

While Sinner enjoyed a warm welcome home, Casper Ruud, Alex de Minaur, and Andrey Rublev are in action this week fighting for the last two spots in the season-ending event. Ruud and Rublev are the top seeds in Metz, while De Minaur leads the field in Belgrade.

Meanwhile, defending champion Djokovic is letting fate decide his participation in Turin. Mathematically still in contention despite not having played since Shanghai and the Six Kings Slam exhibition event, Djokovic has been recently spotted vacationing in the Maldives and watching the tennis action in Serbia.

Read More: Turin next, or not? Novak Djokovic attends Belgrade Open after Maldives holiday