THE CHAMPIONSHIPS

July 11, 2023

Jannik Sinner

Press Conference

J. SINNER/R. Safiullin

6-4, 3-6, 6-2, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Welcome to the press conference for Jannik Sinner.

Jannik, first Grand Slam semifinal, how does that feel?

JANNIK SINNER: It feels good. It means a lot to me. Obviously, as I said on court, there is a lot of work behind this. Very happy that I can play my first semifinal here in this special place, a special surface.

So let's see how it goes the next match.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. You may well play Novak Djokovic. If that happens, what can you draw from last year when you were two sets to love up against him?

JANNIK SINNER: First of all, you have to go up two sets to love (smiling).

In the other way, it's going to be a completely different match than last year. He knows me better as I know him better also. It's going to be also a little bit tactical.

In the other way, it is also a little bit mental, no? If you play against Novak, it's always tough to play here, especially on Grand Slams.

But I'm happy. I will fight for every ball. I will enjoy the moment, but knowing that I can go hard, no, trying to beat him.

But, as I said, now I have two days off, trying to work on couple of things what I might use for the next match. Let's see. Let's see how it goes.

Q. You've not played anyone in the top 50 so far on this run. Is that an advantage or a disadvantage?

JANNIK SINNER: I'm not looking about this because every player who comes this far, means that is a very, very good player, no? I also think that today Roman played a much, much higher level than his ranking is right now. I assume that he's going to have a very, very good year in front of him.

In the other way, I've beaten top players in the past also here on these courts. As I said, I take every match I can with the right attitude, trying to go for my opponent, then we see how it goes.

There's tough moments obviously in every match, but I'm happy to be in the position I am now, and hopefully I can also show this the next round.

Q. Can you tell us how you think you have evolved as a player over the 12 months since you were here last year?

JANNIK SINNER: For sure physically I have improved. I'm much stronger. I can stay on court for many hours without suffering.

Also mentally you're going in a slightly different mental side on court knowing you are also top-10 player. It is a little bit different. You might go as a favorite most of the time on the court till certain rounds of the tournament. Also this is different.

I think also game-wise or tennis-wise I feel better. If I have to play the slice, I can play now without thinking. Before was always a little bit different. I can go to the net knowing that I have good volleys.

I have some good things now in my game, and hopefully I can use it in the right way.

Q. People have noticed your bag. Are you the most stylish player in the top 10 with that Gucci bag?

JANNIK SINNER: No, I'm not. As I say, the bag, it's nice to see. I know the family of Gucci very well. In the other way, if would influence me to play better or worse, I would not do it.

It's not a racquet change. It's not a shoe change, which is something different. I'm here to play tennis. Winning matches means much, much more than carrying on a bag.

Q. You've been working with Darren Cahill for quite a long time now. How much more important is he to you in a situation like this when you're in the semifinal of a Grand Slam for the first time, given his experience?

JANNIK SINNER: Yeah, as I always say, the combination with Darren and Simone is very good. For sure Darren knows a little bit better how to behave in certain moments like this, something new for me. He knows how to deal with it because he had obviously other players who were much better than me. It is good to have him. He give me a lot of confidence.

He is also a very nice, nice person, man, who you can smile, you can joke around. But he always finds the right words, let's say like this. Especially before the matches, he knows what to say, which makes me feel good, comfortable.

Yeah, I think it's all good.

Q. Of all the challenges that you've had in tennis, how would you describe the one that would be before you if you face Novak in this round?

JANNIK SINNER: What?

Q. Of all the challenges that you have had in tennis, how would you describe the challenge ahead if you face Novak?

JANNIK SINNER: Yeah, it's for sure one of the toughest, if not the toughest, challenge in front of me if Novak wins today because, as I said before, it's a Grand Slam. It is a very, very important round, semifinals. He has won 23 Grand Slams. Won Australia, won Paris. He is in a huge confidence boost also.

It's going to be tough, but I will obviously try my best, no? Last year I played a very good match against him. I have learned about it. Hopefully I can show this also on the court. I'm going to stay or I'm going to stick with my game plan in my mind, and hopefully I can execute it in the best possible way. So let's see.