ROLAND GARROS

June 7, 2021

Jannik Sinner

Press Conference

R. NADAL/J. Sinner

7-5, 6-3, 6-0

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. This time again you didn't take a set from Rafa. How would you compare the two matches from last year and this year? It seemed you gave him more of a fight last year than this year. What went wrong this year? Was it him playing much better than last year? Was it you playing not as good?

JANNIK SINNER: Well, you know, I think the situation today was different. We played in the evening last year here, was quite late. In Rome we played at 6:00 p.m. Today the ball was bouncing very, very high. I think he used very, very good this tactic today.

In the other way, you know, it's obviously tough, you know, trying to -- I was expecting more from my side. In the other way, today -- yeah, today he played better than me. I mean, we can stay here one hour to talk about, but at the end of the day he played better than me. He deserved to win.

Yes, I was up, serving for the set in the first set, but, you know, it's a long way to go to win against Rafa. Obviously very disappointed how it went today. But, you know, yeah, as I said, he played better than me.

In the beginning he was playing well. Then at some point he was not pushing anymore the ball that hard, so I went up with the break. Then after he changed it once more.

So the way to become to that level is very long, still very, very long. And, yeah, I just can say congrats to him.

Q. A few days ago I asked you if you played tennis more like a sinner than a saint. So today when you played your best tennis at the start of the match, how close did you feel to tennis heaven? Then when Rafa played his best tennis, how close did that feel to tennis hell?

JANNIK SINNER: Well, you know, I don't know what Rafa said about his level, but I think he played very high level today. He was pushing the ball very hard. So that makes you that you are not going to play the tennis you would like to.

So, no, as I said, you know, this question I answered already before. In one way at some point he was playing -- he was playing and I was only running at some points.

As I said, you know, the way is very long, still long, and I hope I can still have one more chance to play against him. Obviously, you know, I would like to see another test, and then we will see what's happening.

But, yeah, the way is long. Yeah, the only chance is to go back to work and I will see what's going the next time.

Q. Is there a way you could describe the mental challenge of playing Rafa? You were sort of talking about the different tactical things and how his ball was maybe biting a little more today. But how difficult is it mentally when you have an advantage against him and he takes it away, to sort of come back from that?

JANNIK SINNER: No, I am firstly in one way, you know, I'm excited to play against him, because it's a huge test, you know, on what you would like to win in one way. But in the other way, you know, like today, it gives me the answer that I already said it before, that the way is very long still.

Yes, maybe I would have won the first set, but you still have to win two more sets, so the way is long. Yes, in the other way, obviously, you know, I think mentally he's very strong. That's what I'm trying to do, as well, staying strong. I'm trying to don't give him any free space.

Obviously when you play against top guys like him, Rafa, Roger, or Novak, you know, it's tough to play against them because they are very strong mentally, which I think we have seen today as well. Novak against Lorenzo, you know, coming back from two sets to Love.

He won 20 slams, 13 times here, you know, so it has a reason in one way.

Yeah, as I said, congrats to him for today's match.