MIAMI OPEN PRESENTED BY ITAú

March 24, 2024

Jannik Sinner

Press Conference

J. SINNER/T. Griekspoor

5-7, 7-5, 6-1

THE MODERATOR: Jannik, how much did he surprise you in the first set?

JANNIK SINNER: For sure it's an amazing playing. I knew more or less what to expect. I had some chances also in the first set. He handled it better than I did. That was the way.

The second set, I tried to stay a little bit more aggressive. I started off also feeling a little bit better. Then the rain came. After it changed a little bit. Really happy how I handled the situation on the court.

Yeah, just happy about the win today, and that's it.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Can you talk about what you think you did best, especially in the last two sets, how you'll build on that moving forward?

JANNIK SINNER: Yeah, I think I played with a little bit more intensity in general. But it's also tough when the opponent is serving this well. It's tough to get into the rally. He's an amazing player. He has so many huge weapons with the serve and the forehand. Even the net game is really, really good.

I think he started off really well the match. I just tried to stay focused about my service games, which then I made couple mistakes when he broke me. But he also played good game there in the first set.

That's it. Sometimes you have to accept it somehow, which I've done. I just tried to stay mentally strong, and that's it. The next match we see what's coming. It's for sure a tough match. I don't know yet against who I'm going to play, yeah. Let's see.

Q. You'd never lost a set to him in the previous three matches. How much of a level of concern was there today with the way this match went?

JANNIK SINNER: Every time when you lose one set, you have to be concerned. But also before the match, you know more or less what to expect. He is a player that has huge weapons, as I said before.

You have to control what you have to control. The other part, you can't really control. If he serves really, really good, especially in important moments like he did today, it's tough.

Yeah, when you are break down, set down, you are 5-All, 4-All, it's fast that the match is over. That's why today was a good day for me because I was in a really tough situation and I handled it somehow to win. That's why I'm happy.

Q. In the beginning of the match the shadows on the court were unusual, half bright, half dark. Did that bother you at all?

JANNIK SINNER: I enter with full. Was the match before. Me, was already full in the shadow.

Q. You don't know who you have next, they're on now, still in early stages. What do you know about Martin Damm? If you were to play Chris, what are your thoughts on that one?

JANNIK SINNER: Against Chris, I lost two years ago or something like this in Atlanta, where I won doubles with Reilly then. He's good player. Good serve. Moving really well. Tough player.

The other one, I don't know. I have to learn. My coaches have to watch a little bit of that match. Also is going to give me some feedback. Mostly I think I have to stay on my things, what I have to do.

I'm going to study my opponent, for sure, but I try to stay on my intensity, like I've done today in the second and third set. If it works, good. If not, I have to find a solution like today.

Let's see. For sure tough match. Third round in a big event, nobody comes there for no reason, so I have to be very careful.

Q. (Question about skiing.)

JANNIK SINNER: No, I don't think about this anymore. Sometimes it's good for my mental part to don't stay on the tennis court, doing some different things. Going to ski for me is always a relief. Images of back in the days comes in my head, going with the friends. That's so nice, no?

Usually we make two days per year on the slopes. Even this year we went these couple of days. It was really nice for me. Just to recover also the mental side. That's it.

But you have to be careful. It's going fast that you fall and... Hopefully it's not going to happen that you break something. Big issues. I'm very calm on the skis now. I'm not like the young kid I was before.