US OPEN

August 23, 2024

Jannik Sinner

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: Jannik, impressive win in Cincinnati. Your thoughts as you get ready for this US Open.

JANNIK SINNER: Yeah, obviously a big confidence boost. It was a very difficult tournament. Obviously I'm very happy about the result. It was a great moment to share this with the people. Hopefully it's a good confidence boost for here, which is the last Grand Slam of the year. So let's see what's coming.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. Jannik, I'm just wondering, given the news that's come out this week, just how will you balance all of this? You've got a tournament to play, and obviously a lot of news away from the court.

JANNIK SINNER: Yeah, of course it's not ideal before a Grand Slam. But, you know, in my mind I know that I haven't done anything wrong. I had to play already months with this in my head, but, you know, just remembering myself that I haven't done really anything wrong. I always respect that these rules, and I always will respect these rules of anti-doping.

Yeah, just obviously a relief for myself having this result. And, yeah, so it's just good to be back here. It's an amazing city, amazing place to play tennis. I will just trying to enjoy as much as I can and hopefully having a good tournament.

THE MODERATOR: We won't be entertaining any more questions on that subject. If you have a question about another subject...

Q. You can't --

THE MODERATOR: You can ask the question, but he's already given his statement.

Q. Jannik, this is coming out as the US Open is yawning ahead of you. Do you kind of wish that this news had come out earlier and not put it on you right now? Do you regret waiting so long for this whole story to come out?

JANNIK SINNER: Look, it has been a very long process, no? I had to deal with this already for months. I think we all know for how long I'm talking about.

Obviously I had to take now some decisions in base of the outcome. There are some dates you have to respect throughout this whole process, so you can't really choose when it comes out or when it doesn't come out.

In my mind, as I said before, you know, I'm just happy that it's finally out, you know, because it's one kind of relief also for me and my team, which is still here. Obviously because of that, the preparation for this tournament has not been perfect because, you know, of certain circumstances.

But, you know, it's out. It's something what I was waiting for, you know, waiting for the result. Yeah, so now it's out, and that's it.

Q. Jannik, you just mentioned making some decisions. Could you tell us what those are? Are Umberto and Giacomo no longer working with you?

JANNIK SINNER: Yeah, first, I want to start with that they have been a huge part for my career. We worked together for two years. We made an incredible job, bringing a lot of success and then having a great team behind me.

Now, because of these mistakes, I'm not feeling that confident to continue with them. The only thing I just need right now, just some clean air. You know, I was struggling a lot in the last months. Now I was waiting for the result, and now I just need some clean air.

Q. It's hard to keep a secret in tennis. Were you concerned that this would come out before you were ready for it to come out?

JANNIK SINNER: Yeah, look, the outcome of the result was Monday. It was a long process. It started with obviously this mistake what they made. But, you know, I was always concerned that it might come out at some point. In the beginning was a different view, but then after, you know, it was a little bit more complicated. I went through, like, me and my team and the lawyers, I'm just a simple tennis player, no? That's what I love to do.

But, you know, this is also part of the rules of anti-doping and WADA and ITIA, so I was happy to collaborate obviously and getting the best result possible, knowing my innocence of this whole case.

So as I said, you know, it's finally out, so it is what it is, yeah.

Q. There are other players who have gone through these experiences where they have made a mistake and have gotten a big penalty, because those are just the rules. Even though you knew you hadn't done anything wrong, how worried were you that just because of the complicated process and the complicated rules that you might get a larger penalty just for making a mistake? Because it has happened.

JANNIK SINNER: Yeah, the thing is very simple in one way, so when they informed us that I was tested positive, the first thing we were trying to figure out, what substance it was. Because Umberto is the guy who knows really, really well this all process, and then whatever is in nutrition, and he has a very high degree of pharmacy and everything.

So we asked him. He knew it straightaway that it was his spray. And knowing because of that was the spray and knowing also how it all ended up into my system, we went straight back to them, and we explained everything how it happened, and that was the reason why I had the chance to keep playing.

Obviously then after, in the background while I was playing, we had to figure out what would happen then in the future, but the reason why I could have played was because we knew where the substance was in and how it came into my body.

So this is very important, making this process, to letting them know, and they understood it straightaway. They believed in me and in us, and that's why I could have played.

Q. So you weren't that worried how...

JANNIK SINNER: Of course I was worried, because it was the first time for me, you know, and hopefully the last time that I am in this situation, position. There also a different part we have to see is the amount I had in my body, which is 0.000000001, so there are a lot of zeroes before coming up a 1. So I was worried, of course, because I'm always the player who was working very, very carefully in this. I believe I'm a fair player on and off the court.

And yeah, that's a bit how it all was and how it went.

Q. Just your ranking alone is obviously going to put a target on your back, but I'm curious if you feel that not having been suspended, despite some other players in the past having been suspended for what they say were accidental mishaps would put an even bigger target on your back than you might otherwise have had.

JANNIK SINNER: No, it's every player who gets tested positive has to go through the same process. There is no shortcut, there is no different treatment, they are all the same process.

Why I kept playing, I just explained now, and that's, you know, all I have to say. I know sometimes the frustration of other players obviously. But maybe because they got suspended is they didn't know exactly where it comes from, also what substance, but the main reason is where it comes from and how it entered in his own system.

We knew it straightaway, and we were aware of what happened. We went straightaway, and I was suspended for two, three days. I couldn't practice and everything. But they accepted it very, very fast, and that's why.

Q. What concerns do you have about your reputation?

JANNIK SINNER: Yeah, that's a good question. For me, I always believe that I kept playing tennis because in my mind I knew that I haven't done anything wrong. I knew that I was very clean, and I knew that I was always very looking forward to be a fair player.

Obviously it's coming out this notification, it might change a couple of things, but whoever knows me very well knows that I haven't done and I would never do something what goes against the rules.

Obviously it has been a very tough moment for me and my team. It still is, because it's quite, you know, fresh, this everything.

Yeah, I mean, let's see. Here I also know who is my friend and who is not my friend, no, because my friends, they know that I would never do that, and sticking together.

About the reputation, we will see now, now moving forward, no? Because this, I can't really control. So let's see.