ROLAND GARROS

September 27, 2020

Jannik Sinner

Press Conference

J. SINNER/D. Goffin

7-5, 6-0, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. What was the key today to winning and the way you did? It looked very easy.

JANNIK SINNER: You know, in the beginning, obviously it's not easy playing against him. I know him quite well before, Cincinnati and US Open, Monaco. We practiced quite a lot. He's a great guy.

You know, you go on court obviously to win. You know, the first set was very tight, you know, a lot of breaks, breaks of serve, and, you know, it was like the key to manage to win quite easily the service game.

In the beginning, that was not easy. He was returning well. I was not serving that well. But, you know, the balls here are very heavy. The court was heavy. It was not easy. But, you know, at the end, when you win the first set and go up a break, so it's a little bit easier to play.

I mean, he's top-15 player, top-10 player, so you always have to be focused. I tried to do that, and today it worked.

Q. You have been the first one out there in the tournament in the main draw. Can you talk a little bit about the conditions, about the balls, about the surface? How did the clay play for you? How was it with the light also?

JANNIK SINNER: The conditions are not easy. It's quite slow. The roof, obviously it helps a lot, especially in the next week, you know, you never know if it's raining or not.

The court is very big. Yeah, the balls are quite slow, but I cannot say the difference between this year and the last year, because the last year I have been not playing here. For me is the first time. I have nothing to complain about. Obviously playing the first match on the center court here, it's honor, obviously.

But, you know, the conditions are different. It's quite cold. Today was better, but yesterday was very cold. It was windy. Okay, with the roof and everything the wind you feel a little bit less but you still feel it a little bit if it's quite much.

Yeah, and the balls are slow. If they are new, maybe the first two games are quite okay. But then after, it's getting slower. So you have to have a good balance on court, the right speeds. Obviously you cannot go that big, because it's not going to help you that much.

So, you know, it's all a balance game. I think today was okay.

Q. You know David quite a lot. Were you surprised that you can win 11 games in a row against him?

JANNIK SINNER: You never expect that. I have been playing well from the beginning of the second set. I felt comfortable on court trying to go with the backhand a little bit more down the line and to open the court a little bit. And I think, yeah, that was the key. And trying to move him, you know, I'm trying to mix a little bit the ball.

But I don't think there was like one key. Yeah, it was a tennis match at the end. He maybe didn't felt that well on court. I felt well. I was not thinking about 11 games to 0, you know, because it can, the things can change quite quickly, especially against the top guys, you know. I feel one or two games, they are there. Then maybe you go to the fourth set or five sets. I have just been trying to be focused.