AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 26, 2024

Jannik Sinner

Press Conference

J. SINNER/N. Djokovic

6-1, 6-2, 6-7, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Jannik, well done. Congratulations on reaching your first Grand Slam final. Was beating Novak on his court where he's won 10 times the biggest achievement so far in your career?

JANNIK SINNER: Yeah, for sure. When I play against him, it's obvious you know right before that it's a tough match. But Grand Slam is different. It was a tough match, especially when I lost the third set with match points. I just tried to stay as positive as possible, and it went my way today. I'm really happy.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. Did the two wins you had over Novak at the end of last season make you feel quite different before this match to maybe when you played him at Wimbledon or places like that?

JANNIK SINNER: Yeah, for sure. It gives you a better feeling when you know that you can beat one player.

For me was a huge privilege end of last year to play against him in ten days for three times, because obviously you can practice with him, but the match is always different. So I feel like this for sure helped me in one way, but in the other way, it's as I said before, Grand Slam also mentally it's different. I just tried to play also as relaxed as possible but also having the right game plan in my mind.

I think today it worked really well.

Q. Can you help us understand why or give your opinion on why you think yourself, Alcaraz, Rune, this new generation is succeeding against these guys where previous generations have not?

JANNIK SINNER: I think, first of all, we are a little bit, me, Carlos, and Holger, every one of us is a different player. I feel like that also mentally everyone is different, and attitude on the court is different.

But that what I think we have in common is we believe in ourselves in one way, and this helps a lot because in tennis when you believe it's a huge amount already.

But I think we have to be really lucky to see him around, that we can see what he's doing, how he's practicing. Hopefully Rafa is coming back so I can see also him. I had the privilege to watch him when I was in Adelaide with him. Roger unfortunately I have never had the chance to, but it is what it is.

In another way, I feel like talking about my part is that I always try to learn from them and then trying to get something from them, no? This has been always my part of the process, and the process we are making is not finished yet, because I feel like that we still have to improve a lot.

Happy to be here, happy to play my first final here in Melbourne, but in my mind I know that I can and still have to improve. So it's good to have him around.

Q. You seemed very relaxed when you finished the match and when you won you didn't celebrate too big. I wonder, is that deliberate? Is that something you tried not to let your emotions get the best of you? Or maybe if the hand brake does come off, what happens when you get really excited?

JANNIK SINNER: I don't know. I feel these kind of emotions you cannot control. If someone celebrates in one way, you celebrate because this is the emotion what you are feeling now, no? Obviously it means so much to me to beat Novak here in Melbourne, but in the other way, I know that the tournament is not over.

Sunday is a final. It's different emotions, because the final is always different. Doesn't really matter how big the tournament is, so it's -- you know, in my mind today I knew it was semifinal. It's not that you win the tournament like this (smiling).

So I'm looking forward for Sunday, and let's see what's coming.

Q. If you win on Sunday the shirt's coming off, full fist pump and everything?

JANNIK SINNER: Let's see what will bring us Sunday (smiling).

Q. When you lost that set point opportunity, what was going through your mind and how did you regroup after that in the fourth set?

JANNIK SINNER: Yeah, it's not easy, because you are so close and then you, in your mind, is the way is long still. But in the other way, I sat down, I tried to think also that the score was two sets to one for me, so it was positive.

I just tried to start again the set in a good way. I was serving, I hold serve, and I was up already in the score, no? So I tried to stay really focused about the goal I had today, which was a good game plan, and I was hoping that the execution were working, and that's it.

Obviously fourth set when I broke him, it was a positive feeling. Happy that I could finish the match.

Q. Novak said that he hadn't played a Grand Slam match as badly for a long time. Did you feel that you played the perfect match against him, or did you get a sense that he also maybe wasn't up to the level that he has been when you've played him before?

JANNIK SINNER: Yeah, for sure the first two sets I saw that he was not hitting the ball as he used to. He was also not moving that well, no, and then I think he was also not that focused like we used to see him, no?

So I saw this, but in the other way, being No. 1, you have to be ready for that he change things up and that he has done before in the third set the level that was even. He's also maybe the best returner we have in the game. Didn't have one breakpoint, so these are stats what are unusual for him.

But in the other way, this can happen, no? In tennis when you have a bad day, it's also tough to get out as a winner, no?

So I realized, especially the first sets, he was not playing that great, but I tried to have the intensity as high as possible, and I took the chance.

Q. You talked for several years now about being patient, about this process you're on. Where did you learn that? How hard has it been for you to be patient and to understand that you would steadily get better and that one day you might actually be here because other people have gotten there before you?

JANNIK SINNER: Yeah, the patience can be your biggest enemy in one way, because if you're not that patient, you rush in one way, and then you forget maybe some steps what you should do to become a better player, to become better physically.

Then at some point, I don't know, I feel like on the level what we are seeing now from my side is because of a whole year of work, and the process what we have made to become the best version what I am right now. But in the other way, as I said, I still know that I can improve many things. So my way is not finished yet. But in the other way, patience is not easy to handle. It's also kind of practice, in one way (smiling).

Q. Darren Cahill has been part of your coaching team. His ability as a strategist is well known. Does he also have a calming effect at this stage of the tournament given the experience he has with major winners and World No. 1s?

JANNIK SINNER: Yeah, for sure he's always very relaxed. Even this morning, you know, we talk about normal things. Not always about tennis. Then 20 minutes before the match, we talk about tactics, how to handle certain situations.

I think he helped not only me but I think the whole team to believe in ourself, but also to enjoy, because we travel so much around the world, and to enjoy the time together is really important.

I think the combination with him and also with Simone, it's awesome on the court. I think at the moment we are handling everything in the right way.

Q. There is a stat driving me crazy. Carlos Alcaraz won Novak Djokovic in Wimbledon exactly 2,195 days after his last defeat there. Now you have won Novak Djokovic in Australia exactly 2,195 days after his last defeat. Do you think this victory was written somewhere, or it was a day to won Novak?

JANNIK SINNER: (Laughter.) If it would be that easy, just watching some numbers. But no, obviously I don't know really what to answer on that. I watched the match of Carlos. It was an incredible match there. Yeah, I don't know what to say. (Laughter.)

Q. Obviously the big three have been so dominant at the Grand Slams. I was just wondering, Carlos managing to win a couple, did that in any way encourage you that you could do it, or was there a match or a moment where you believed that you could win a Grand Slam?

JANNIK SINNER: I think you win the matches not only on that day. You win it because you feel prepared for a good fight. You feel prepared mentally and also physically.

I think after last year, especially end of the year, gave me confidence that I could potentially do some good results in Grand Slams. But in the other way, you still have to show it, no? There are people who talk a lot, but you have to show it, no, because at the end of the day you're going on the court and you have to play.

But if it's not this year, it's next year, and then if it's not next year, it's the next year again, no.

I'm really relaxed, to be honest. I just try to work as hard as possible and in my mind I feel like that's the hard work always pays off in one way, and we are working really hard for our dreams.

If this can happen, it's good; if not, I gave 100%, and the rest I cannot control, no. Obviously I'm really happy about Carlos what he has made and what he is doing. When we play against potentially it's always a good matchup, but at the moment we also have to say that he is further than I am. He won many 1000 events, won some slams already. So I have a lot of respect for him, and I wish him all the best.