Men’s world No. 1 Jannik Sinner has swapped the tennis court for the recording studio to partner with legendary tenor Andrea Bocelli to release a single.
The song, titled “Polvere e Gloria” (Dust and Glory) — sees Sinner deliver lines in a speaking role between Bocelli’s operatic tones.
Sinner said the collaboration with his fellow Italian, which he described as a duet, was “incredibly moving.”
“I am very happy and honoured to be part of this project with Andrea, who for 30 years has been a unique and extraordinary voice, a flag for our country in the rest of the world,” Sinner said.
“I could never have imagined hearing my voice in one of his songs. It’s extremely moving.”
The song contains lyrics in English and Italian, with the accompanying music video showing images from Sinner and Bocelli’s respective childhoods. The pair are also seen interacting around a piano in a house in the Italian countryside.
“Every life is a potential work of art: each of us bears the sweet responsibility of nurturing our talents in the daily acrobatics of living, pursuing our dreams while remaining steadfastly true to our values,” Bocelli said in a post on Instagram.
“This duet is such a bold leap that it has ignited our passion, born of a shared and unwavering desire to express of our deep belief that nothing is impossible.”
It is not the first time Bocelli has dabbled in the world of sport. He stood alongside Leicester City’s Italian head coach Claudio Ranieri and performed “Nessun Dorma” as part of the club’s celebrations following their unlikely Premier League triumph in 2016.
Sinner was beaten by Alexander Bublik in the round of 16 at the Halle Open in Germany on Thursday.
