MIAMI OPEN PRESENTED BY ITAú

April 4, 2021

Jannik Sinner

Press Conference

H. HURKACZ/J. Sinner

7-6, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. First of all, congratulations for an amazing week, week and a half. You seemed to be in control at 6-5 in the first set. What do you think happened after that? Was it more what Hubi did? Did the wind bother you? How would you describe what went wrong at that point going forward?

JANNIK SINNER: Well, I made some unforced errors. I made a few or a couple of mistakes in the tiebreak. Then I was not serving well, especially in the beginning of the second set, and not returning deep enough.

So, yeah, I think it was from my side everything, you know. Honestly, you know, the whole tournament I decided how to play against every player. You know, I was dictating the game. I made mistakes, yes, like today. Maybe if I put in in the 30-All twice when he was serving 4-3 and 5-4 the ball, maybe we are still there to play.

I missed that, but I think it's for me today is a tough day, to be honest, because losing the final here for me is not easy. But, you know, I was deciding the whole week what to do with the ball. For that time I'm happy. Yeah, today went the wrong way. Today you win or you learn.

When you're 19 and playing finals here, obviously it's tough, and I wanted to win. I was a bit nervous from the beginning of the match or already yesterday, but, you know, it's normal, you know, because you really want to win. But today was not my day, and congrats to Hubi. I mean, that's it.

Q. Congratulations on a great tournament. Well done. I'd like to ask you what do you think the one prime lesson you learned from this stretch in Miami, from the tournament?

JANNIK SINNER: What I said now, that I came here with the mentality to win. We knew that Rafa, Roger, Novak, Thiem were not playing. I think it was a big opportunity for many players.

So, you know, we came here trying to win match after match in the right way and trying to go to the net, trying to make the game, trying to move my opponent. Every single match had his match and his story. Somehow I managed to win every match. Today not.

But, you know, I think I can learn many things today. For me now it's tough to talk about the match, because, you know, I'm still in the match with my head. I finished half an hour ago, so it's tough now to speak about the match because I don't have clear mind now, but, you know, what I think is that from the baseline I was deciding what to do. Today, as I said, today I made a couple of mistakes in important moments, yes, but I was dictating. So, you know, I'm happy about that.

Yeah, and now back to work and now the clay season is on. So I don't want to waste time today. I think I can learn many things. Then, I mean, next week already is another tournament. Got to be ready.

Q. Congratulations on a great tournament. You mentioned the big three not being here. I'm wondering, what do you think we learned about the next generation in this tournament, including yourself, and what these performances here by that group collectively might say about where the sport is headed?

JANNIK SINNER: I think the next generation it's fun to watch, first of all, because, you know, many players don't know each other that well. Many fans don't know that well the next generation. Here were a lot of players in quarterfinals from next generation, semifinals, final today was next generation, and in the whole tournament, putting in everyone, I think it's nice to see.

But, you know, the next generation still has to show that they can beat the big three, you know, because obviously maybe they lose one or two matches, but the next generation that what I see is not ready yet to win against them consistently.

So obviously it's good to see the new generation what's coming after them, because at some point there will be the moment. I don't know when. It can be two years or five years, I don't know. But the moment will come, and then after is going to be other players. Yeah, so let's see.

Q. You said quite a few times that you were deciding how to play in all the matches during the tournament. Not many 19-year-olds can say that against the best players in the world. I was wondering what that tells you about yourself and your game and how it translates against all of the best players.

JANNIK SINNER: You know, this year starting from Melbourne, you know, when I won there the title, 250, I felt well on court. It was the first time after a long period of time that I didn't play any tournament I started well, you know, winning match after match. So I think I grow in that way.

Then after came one match against Bedene in Montpellier where I was back and playing the ball in the court. I finished the match playing not my game.

Then after, our first goal was trying to take my tennis back, trying to play more aggressive, trying to serve a little bit better. Today I was not serving well. Trying to serve better, trying to return, mix it up a little bit. You know, trying to move the others.

So I think this kind of stuff starting from Dubai came back a little bit. Obviously there is a lot of work, a lot of things to do. I have to understand when to go and when not to go.

Me honestly right now for the next 30, 40 matches prefer to do like this, and then we will see what solution we have. But, you know, I think it has been a good week anyway. But, you know, obviously I'm not here for making finals, you know. I'm here to win tournaments. Today was not my day. Accept that. But, you know, it's going back to work and then we will see what I can do on the clay.

Q. Obviously a tough one today, but I'm just sort of curious, given how focused you are on always improving, do you take any consolation that now you're going to be in the top 30 players in the world and that you have made so much progress to climb as high as you have?

JANNIK SINNER: Yeah, well, obviously if you win matches, if, I mean, I control everything, I know on what position I am, where I'm going to be.

But, you know, for me the main focus now is I think, you know, that what I showed in this tournament that I improved from the last tournament. Obviously when you get a little bit of confidence it's a little bit easier, but, you know, I mean, you have to work hard to go deep in tournaments, especially in big tournaments.

You know, for me, improvement is the most important thing. You know, I still have to talk with my team why I lost, what they think, where we have to work. You know, I like to see what they think and then we will decide on which part of my game I have to improve.

But I think, you know, I have to improve on every single part of my game physically, mentally, everything. Then we will see what's coming.

Q. Congratulations on a terrific, terrific tournament. I'm from Poland, but it was good to watch two great young and up-and-coming tennis players battle it out today. I have a question in regards to your doubles with Hubert. Two-folded question. First part is who do you think had an advantage because of what past you guys shared on the court together? Who had do you think had a better advantage today? And who took advantage of such today because of your doubles past? And second thing is did you guys talk or think about forming a doubles partnership in the future? It may seem like you guys are going to be unstoppable.

JANNIK SINNER: No, I think, you know, when you play doubles with someone, and then the tournament after you play against, obviously it's strange. Me honestly I was not thinking about that, because, you know, I was more focused about my game, what I have to do and all the rest.

So maybe you can ask him what he thinks about that. In the other side, I like playing doubles with him, because, you know, he's a nice person, as I said on court, and he really is, the person he is, and even his coach. When you feel good with someone, it's easier to play doubles.

Obviously I don't think if we are going to play on every single tournament doubles, I don't think so, because maybe on big tournaments I don't play doubles. But we will see. I mean, he is 24, right? He's 24? He's 24 and I'm 19, so, you know, I think we both are very young. You know, if everything goes right, we both play for many, many years in tennis hopefully, and, you know, I think we will see us together in some tournaments, in doubles for sure. I'm looking forward to playing against him once more in singles, taking the revenge and see what I can do against Hubi.