MIAMI OPEN PRESENTED BY ITAú

March 26, 2024

Jannik Sinner

Press Conference

J. SINNER/C. O'Connell

6-4, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Questions in English.

Q. You had a rough go of it with O'Connell in the past. I think it goes back to 2021, if I have that correctly. A lot has happened since then. Can you talk about how your game has evolved, how much different your game is now, and how you compare your game now to then, and talk a little bit about this match if you don't mind.

JANNIK SINNER: No, talking about today's match, it was tough to play against him. He's a great player. It was a little bit windy and breezy, so I think we both had to adjust a little bit.

He started off really well, and I went down a break very soon, so it was tough also mentally. But you have to accept these kind of challenges. I was looking forward for those.

Back in 2021, we are 2024, you know, three years nearly, so, you know, especially when you are younger and you come to the tour and everything was quite new for me.

Now it's normal for me, you know, to come here and play. You know, I have made a lot of experiences throughout these years, and physically you grow. Also naturally you grow as a person and also as a player. I think I'm a different player now than I was back in 2021, but, you know, it's still in your mind that you lost this match, so, you know, you have to be very careful. You have to don't take nothing for granted. Yeah, also just enjoying the moment.

Q. Are you playing a different style at all, given the different conditions here? Does it force you to change your approach or your game at all?

JANNIK SINNER: A little bit, you know, but it also depends against who you play. Today was, for sure, playing against him, he was making a lot of slice, for example. I was pushing a lot to the backhand side to then open to the forehand after.

I started off trying to do the opposite, trying to push on the forehand, then to the backhand, which was not working that well.

But no, you just have to adjust, you know, for the opponent. For sure here is different than was Indian Wells. Everyone knows this, but, you know, I think you have to adjust for this actual day.

Tomorrow it's a different challenge. I have to adjust in a different way, for sure. But this is the funny game. You know, tennis is like this.

Q. A nonmatch question. Can you describe what is so good about Simone Vagnozzi? What makes him a good coach? In speaking with him a couple of weeks ago, he said what he really likes about you is that you haven't changed. Even after winning the Australian Open, you were still out there practicing to get better and better. He really admires that drive and determination. So in return, what do you say about him?

JANNIK SINNER: Let me think. Just one second (smiling).

No, I think overall, if we watch the technical/tactical side, one of the best coaches in the world, because he doesn't have this straight rule that you have to play in this way, but he sees the player and he tries to adjust it in the way he plays.

I think that's something very, very rare to see, because he watched me playing, we changed the backhand a little bit also technically, because he said, Look, if you do like this it might work better for you. And then you exchange whole things together, and you find the right way.

The same thing is with the slice. I go back not like all the other players who makes the slice with the left hand up, but I go back like how I hit the backhand. So it's also a little bit unorthodox style sometimes, but in his case, that's the best for me.

So I think the best thing what he is doing is that, you know, he understands my point, and we find a right solution to make it happen.

I can say only this because he also haven't changed nothing, like, you know, he's the same man as he was last year and now he's the same one. He's just not here, but it's just amazing, and I feel very lucky to have him in my team.

Q. I wanted to ask you, it's been a few years, but in 2021 when you were here, it was kind of a breakthrough, you had a big tournament, and then obviously since then a lot of success. What do you remember about this tournament? Do you feel that the way you played in this tournament in that year really was sort of a steppingstone to what was to come?

JANNIK SINNER: Was the first time for me, and I remember that the center court was only the grandstand because of the COVID and everything. But for me was just something new to come here, and I remember that the draw was opening up a little bit, and I just took my chance to go there.

I played my first final here. I couldn't sleep before the final because was something new for me, but, you know, it was a great experience.

I'm very happy to be again here in the quarterfinals. It's just an amazing event, amazing feeling, and then hopefully I can show some good tennis, no? Also to see, you know, this kind of process what I'm going through, back in 2021 I was one player, and now I'm a different player. Hopefully in the next four years I'm different again, no?

So that's hopefully, that's my goal.