ROLAND GARROS

October 2, 2020

Jannik Sinner

Press Conference

J. SINNER/F. Coria

6-3, 7-5, 7-5

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. That was another great win. Can you chat to us a bit about your experience of your first week at Roland Garros this year?

JANNIK SINNER: It has been tough, obviously not winning in straight sets all the matches, but every player here is tough to play. Today was very difficult, I've never played against him. The court was very slow because it was raining, rain delay quite long and the balls were heavy, so you had to be hitting it with motivation, but, you know, I wanted to win in three sets, but it's never easy against him, he is a very good player, especially on clay. He stays there point after point, you know, you have to win every point.

So about my performance today, I'm quite happy.

Q. Well played today. Very nice performance. I know you believe in your talents, but I wonder if somebody told you before this main draw started that you would be through to the round of 16 without drop ago set as you alluded to, what would you say to that?

JANNIK SINNER: No, I mean, first of all you have to think match after match. I mean I've played a great first match round against David, which gave me a little bit of confidence, for sure.

But it's tough, as I said, it's not about winning in straight sets or winning in five sets, obviously it's better to win in three sets, but I have improve even my performance after three sets, for sure.

Like in the US Open I lost in five sets, so I still have to learn very much about playing Grand Slams. I played one Grand Slam in US Open, Australian Open, this is my third main draw, so it's, I'm still young, I can improve everything, but, you know, if somebody told me before I didn't want to answer for sure because you have to think match after match.

Q. You've said throughout the year and you've just told us now that you are learning every day. What is it like learning in the middle of a Grand Slam?

JANNIK SINNER: You can learn everything, I mean just trying to improve day after day. I mean obviously tomorrow I go on court and trying to improve every shot, which is the main goal. Obviously playing match after match that's important as well.

Putting that what you're doing on practice sessions, trying to put it in the match, so that's what I'm trying to do. Sometimes it gets good, sometimes it gets worse, but at the end of the day it's tennis.

Q. You make 44 winners in three sets. Is it part of your game plan to go to the lines that often?

JANNIK SINNER: It's not about going to the line. Today sometimes were a little bit lucky, some shots were quite close to the line or on the line especially in the end of the second set, but it is my game plan is obviously to push the ball. Today was not easy because it was very slow, so you had to move him a lot, it was quite physical as well today, so trying to go to the net sometimes which that's the part where I have to improve most to cover the net in the right way.

But, you know, I think today was a very tough match, so I'm very happy.

Q. You talked about learning as you go and I was curious to get your take on what you might have learned today. I know it was a little bit longer of a match for you and a little bit tougher and as you said you went to the net I think twice as many times as you did in the other matches. So did you learn a little bit about maybe playing in these slower conditions in case you see them again down the road?

JANNIK SINNER: You know, I remember one match in challengers last year in Ostrava and I was playing the final it was maybe a little bit colder, but it was raining, the court was very heavy and I lost 6-1, 6-0. So I think something I improved for sure, there's no question about that. But you can still improve everything. I mean especially when you're young like me and since it's all ways to improve.

So I think from now to one year ago I've improved and I think that's the most important thing and just now I am looking forward for the next match already. You don't know yet in what kind of conditions you play, maybe it's windy, maybe it's like today, maybe it's sunny, maybe the conditions are fast, you never know, every match is different.

So, as I said, today was a tough match, he was playing a great tournament and I think beating Paire here in Paris it's not that easy as well. So just congratulations to him as well and, yeah.

Q. This is a very difficult time throughout the world right now and every country has its own challenges. I know that you are a proud Italian, can you talk to us briefly why you decided to fight COVID 19 in Italy by supporting your hospitals, the people, working in the hospitals, and why that means so much to you?

JANNIK SINNER: I mean, especially now in this situation for anybody it's not easy. It's messy and obviously we play tennis but I think everyone realizes that tennis is the second part and the first part is family and staying healthy. I decided to give some money to Bergamo, because Bergamo was in a very, very bad situation. For me I was very disappointed, so if I can help somehow I try to help, you know? Obviously with my management team and for me it's very important to help people as well.

So I think I've done a good thing, but it's not only Italy, Italy was the first country which was very, very bad, now it's everyone else. I mean in the U.S. it's very bad. Here in Paris, here in France. It's still I think a long way, so we try to stay strong.