“You always seem to be in control of your emotions. Was this already the case when you were younger?
When I was younger, I would lose my temper sometimes, but not to the point of going crazy. I try to stay as calm as possible, in general. Of course, there are days when it is more difficult. But I can control what’s going on in my head pretty well. Especially over the last two years. And then, at the end of the day, my brain is the only thing I can really control. The rest, the body in particular, sometimes escapes you.
You decided not to play the Juniors circuit when you were younger. Why this choice ?
I always tried to play against players who were really better than me. For me, it was the best way to progress and learn. I did a few tournaments among the Juniors, but I quickly moved to the Futures circuit because the Juniors were ultimately not important to me. Being top 10 in the Juniors didn’t interest me. That’s why I didn’t do the junior Grand Slams.
Do you feel that something has changed around you after this title at the Australian Open?
In Italy, even more so after Melbourne, there is a lot of attention around me. But it’s nice to share all this with the fans. But as far as I’m concerned, and it’s the same for my team, nothing has changed. We know what we need to do to improve and we have not changed the way we work. The goal is always to improve. There, my main goal is to play well in Rotterdam.
“Most of the players will have nothing to lose against me and it will be something different because they will probably play more liberated”
With your recent results, do you feel that you are perceived differently by your opponents? Is there more respect?
Yes, there is a little more respect. But, at the same time, they know me better and they know what my weaknesses are. You have to prepare for that and that’s why we quickly returned to training after Melbourne, to be ready to face each situation. We’ll see how we manage that. It’s certain that I’m no longer a surprise. Last year I had a good season and everyone knows me better on the circuit. Most players will have nothing to lose against me and it will be something different because they will probably play more liberated.
The era of the “Big Three” is over, but not that long ago. Which of the three inspired you the most?
If we’re talking purely about the game, it’s Novak to whom I feel closest. We both play very well on our line, but we also try to go to the net. We have good lateral movement. Honestly, we were lucky to be around these three players. Roger is no longer there, but when I arrived on the tour all three were there. When I saw them training, I tried to be inspired, to learn from them.
“In skiing, a mistake can have serious consequences. Nothing like it in tennis »
You almost had a career as a skier. How can what you learned on the slopes help you in tennis?
Skiing and tennis are obviously very different. But the balance that I worked on in skiing also serves me in tennis. When I have to slide on the court, this work helps me a lot to stay balanced. The ski mentality helps me too. Sometimes I felt fear during descents. A mistake could have serious consequences. Nothing like it in tennis. If you make mistakes, you lose and that’s it. As a result, this mentality helps me understand what is happening on the court.
Where do you see yourself in ten years?
I hope I look back on my journey and be able to say that I enjoyed every moment of it. For me, this is the most important. I live with a team that surrounds me very well for work, but they are also very nice people. And that’s the most important thing, ultimately. We don’t know what can happen on a court, but if we are well surrounded, the rest is almost secondary.
Darren (Cahill) tells me that the most important thing is the connections we make that last after our career. Victories create strong feelings, but they are fleeting. But if you are well surrounded, these are things that last. After my career, I think I can always call Darren for coffee. This is the spirit that Darren puts into this team. Simone (Vagnozzi) obviously has less experience, but her combination with Darren creates something unique and I’m very lucky to have them with me.
As early as last year, many players such as Djokovic, Alcaraz and Medvedev said that you would win Grand Slams and that you would be world No. 1. Is this a form of additional pressure?
It’s nice to hear that. Especially from those who have already won big titles. Of course there will always be pressure, but the biggest pressure will always come from me. I always expect something good from myself, I always want to do my best and the rest doesn’t matter much.
Is being number 1 your season’s goal?
The real objective this season is to do better than last year in the Grand Slams. At Wimbledon, I was in the semi-finals so it won’t be easy to do better (laughs). But at Roland Garros or the US Open, I have to do better. That’s really the goal of the season. Same for Indian Wells and Miami and the clay court season. To be number 1? First you have to be number 3, then number 2. All this to say that we have to take it step by step. I hope to win one more place and we’ll see what happens next. »
2024-02-10 16:45:48
#Jannik #Sinner #Grand #Slams
