Overview
- The International Astronomical Union’s Working Group for Small Bodies Nomenclature ratified the name on Tuesday and published the decision in WGSBN Bulletin V006_009.
- The object, now officially (120097) Janniksinner, is a main‑belt asteroid first observed on March 10, 2003 at Campo Imperatore.
- The name was proposed by two of the discoverers, Fabrizio Bernardi and Maura Tombelli, who requested the dedication through their observatory channels.
- The approved citation lists Sinner’s tennis achievements, including two Australian Open titles, Wimbledon, the US Open, and two memberships on winning Davis Cup teams.
- The naming follows an established IAU practice of honorific dedications and places Sinner in a small group of top players such as Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer who have received similar celestial honors.