BNP PARIBAS OPEN

March 10, 2024

Jannik Sinner

Press Conference

J. SINNER/J.L. Struff

6-3, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. Jannik, well played today. Last time you were in here you said I'm not unbeatable but I'm well prepared. I wonder, how has your preparation both on and off the court changed over the last couple of years and how is that helping you have the success you're having now?

JANNIK SINNER: I think it's really important to hear and understand what your coach says, and I try to do that what I feel on court, because sometimes you prepare it, but you don't feel the shot to go with. So it's also really important the gut feeling on court.

But generally I feel like for sure I'm playing with confidence at the moment, but in the other way, I'm very careful, because, you know, the match can change very fast. If he breaks me second set on 4-3, going 4-All, then it starts again from zero. So I have to be careful. So yeah, I think that's it.

Q. How do these conditions in this court affect your game? It's a hard court but different than Australia, or how do you compare it?

JANNIK SINNER: Yeah, it's for sure more bouncier, and the balls, they are getting quite big after three, four games. So you have to adapt. It depends also if you play night or not. Yesterday we played doubles in the night. Was different.

So, you know, you trying to adapt. The court works really well for the players who play with a little bit more of rotation, because it takes more because of -- it's not that, I don't know, not flat. So yeah, that's it.

Q. Jannik, what would you say is the biggest and most important quality in yourself?

JANNIK SINNER: I have a lot of respect for all of players, but I don't have fear to face them. I think that's also a quality, because especially when you play the pressure points and important points, you know, I still like to go for the shots.

I don't wait to see what my opponent does most of the time. So if I have to choose one quality, it's this one.

Q. In the technique side, you have one of the best amazing backhands on the tour. I was wondering, when you are hitting your backhand with your two hands, do you feel like you are using, like, right hand or using, like, left hand and hitting forehand with your left hand?

JANNIK SINNER: I use a lot of the left hand for the technique. The right one gives me, for sure, more power, but I feel like I use a lot with the left hand.

Q. How do you think that kind of way to hit backhand helps you? If you can hit like a variety of shots with your backhand, or...

JANNIK SINNER: I feel like, too, now with this game what's right now, which, you know, the game is very fast, it's easier to play double-handed backhand, because you can block it a little bit easier, especially when the serves comes fast, but with one-handed backhand, it's more elegant, no? It's more, like, from outside it's always nice to see a one-handed backhand. You have most of the time to have also better feel with the hand, because they change it up with the slice, so yeah.

Q. This fear you spoke of earlier, when you were talking about your best quality, did you ever have it or were you just born with this sort of tennis courage?

JANNIK SINNER: No, I realized it when I skied that I had fear to go, you know, the downhill races. When you go very fast and then you jump 20, 30 meters, you know, it's different. Then I had this fear. And then in my mind in tennis, it's nothing to be scared about, no?

It's only a match at the end of the day. We try our best, and sometimes it goes in a good way in important moments and sometimes not. But at the end, you just lose the match.