NATIONAL BANK OPEN

August 12, 2023

Jannik Sinner

Press Conference

J. SINNER/G. Monfils

6-4, 4-6, 6-3

JANNIK SINNER

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. After the match, you and Gaël shared a nice moment at the net. I'm curious if you wouldn't mind sharing what Gaël said to you and what it meant to share the court with him tonight?

JANNIK SINNER: As I said on court, I know him not good-good, but I know him quite well. And he's very special character, no? in our tennis. And it's nice to see him. It's for him acting like this is normal, no?

And then the crowd loves it. And it's nice to have him back, no? He's been injured quite long now.

Playing in such a high level again, it's nice to see also for him. I think he feels good about. And I just said it, I'm happy that he's back.

Q. That was a really incredible match, really high quality. How do you deal with an opponent like Gaël who is so unpredictable?

JANNIK SINNER: Yeah, it's the most difficult part, no? to play against him. You never know what's coming.

But I also have to push the ball, but not too much, because, you know, if he's defending very, very well. And maybe I could have gone a little bit more to the net, but it's tough. You know, he's such talent that sometimes you go on the net, and then he makes incredible passing shots. So that's maybe the toughest part.

So, I mean, he has been top 10 player. He has won many, many tournaments, so -- and this you can see.

Q. When you saw that Alcaraz lost after this win, does it feel kind of like a responsibility to go for the tournament when it's a field that it's pretty open and you're the highest seed?

JANNIK SINNER: It's for sure you follow because you play after this match, no? And as I said on court, it's nice to be in a position again to play a very important match tomorrow, no?

I had many tournaments like this where I was in this stage of tournament, and I'm happy to be again here. And hopefully I can do better, no?

But in another way, I was focused about today's match. Tomorrow is going to be -- or today (smiling) it's going to be a different problem again because it's a different opponent.

Sinner a confidence boost. He won against the number one player in the world. So it's going to be very, very tough. And I know that. In the other way, as I said, I'm happy to be in the semis again.

Q. From court side, I could hearing Darren Cahill your coach kind of really becoming part of the match, really yelling, cheering you on. What has he brought to your game this year and how would you describe your relationship with him and how that's evolved in the short time you've worked together?

JANNIK SINNER: The relationship is going very well. Obviously, one of the best coaches in the world. You know, he has showed that with all different kind of players, mans and womens, different age of the player.

And it's, obviously, nice to have him with my team. I feel like the combination with him and Simone is going very well.

I asked him today to push me a little bit more because the crowd was not against me, but they were a little bit more to Gaël's side. So you have to stick with the closest members, no? which is, obviously, your team.

And he has shown me many, many things. Now it's late because -- I don't want to talk too much, but it's very, very important.

Also off the court, you know, the relationship is very good. We talk about everything. He is showing me also how to play golf. So it's good.

Q. How do you build your mindset? How are you trying to improve it? Like, all aspects of the game that you can improve everything, but, I mean, the specific mindset, especially with a coach like Darren Cahill.

JANNIK SINNER: Yeah, it's the most important part of the game, no? the mental side.

I have made mistakes earlier this year a little bit. As I always say the example of Roland Garros. I had the wrong mindset.

But, you know, I feel like that I have learned many things from this kind of match where sometimes you have to make mistakes to understand. And I feel like now I'm in a very good mental shape and performance.

Obviously, I can do much, much better, but you have to do it also in practice sessions when you are tired, when you are feeling a little bit of pain. You have to go through this process which is going to happen most likely in the match, no? And you can work on this a lot.