INTERNAZIONALI BNL D'ITALIA

May 12, 2021

Jannik Sinner

Press Conference

R. NADAL/J. Sinner

7-5, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. You showed some great tennis tonight. I'm curious how you balance being happy that you competed so well against Rafa on clay again versus the disappointment of not being able to advance.

JANNIK SINNER: Well, for sure I'm more disappointed and especially sad today, because I think obviously we both played quite high-level match. You know, now it's tough to accept that I'm already out of the court because, you know, the first set I was up twice with break, and the second set I was up with break.

So, you know, yeah, it's tough to accept, because obviously I think Roland Garros was more like a test to see where I am and, you know, this time I knew that I could have and maybe today I should have done something more.

But, you know, tennis is, yeah, it's a sport of situations. You know, he handled the situations a little bit better today than me. So I think he deserve to win today.

Q. I know you have talked a lot about learning from Rafa through your practice time with him and your previous match. Is that the lesson you take away, to be better in these situations, or if not, what is the big lesson from today's match?

JANNIK SINNER: No, obviously, you know, when I lose I always try to get out the positives, trying to find what I should have done better.

You know, obviously right now it's tough to talk about the match. I mean, 20 minutes ago I was still on court. You know, I'm still playing a little bit in my head what I should have done better in some exact points.

So it's tough right now, to be honest, because, you know, playing here, you know, in Rome, you know, it's quite special tournament, you know, I have to say, especially for Italians. If you should have won today, tomorrow there will be a little bit of crowd, which I love to play in front of crowds.

But firstly, I'm very, yeah, as I said before, disappointed, yeah, and sad how here it ended, to be honest, because I was -- I think we both played great, you know. I mean, the level of tennis was quite high, for sure. He handled the situations better than me, like the last time. There are for sure lessons what I can learn.

But right now, as I said, it's tough to talk about the match. You know, we have to come together with my team and watch many, many times this match from today. Then we will see what we should have done better.

Q. You mentioned that the match against him at Roland Garros was almost like a test to sort of I guess see where you were. Was your mentality different walking on the court against him this time, and if so, how?

JANNIK SINNER: No, what's different, I mean, the mentality is obviously the most important part on this sport. I knew that in Roland Garros I could play good or quite well against him because, you know, because of many reasons. There I showed it for one set.

This time, you know, I knew that I can do something more and, you know, I walked on court more confident about my weapons what I have. I think I'm improving, you know, to have more weapons every tournament I play, trying to have more solutions about every problem, you know. This is the point what we are working on, and there especially we have to improve a little bit more.

Yeah, it's a lesson which is tough to accept, but, you know, I will accept for sure because, you know, I have to get better.