ROLEX SHANGHAI MASTERS

October 13, 2024

Jannik Sinner

Press Conference

J. SINNER/N. Djokovic

7-6, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Well done, Jannik. Where do you rank today's victory among your many successes of 2024?

JANNIK SINNER: Yeah, it's always tough to give it, you know, a ranking or a number, but, you know, today was a very special day because, you know, different circumstances. You know, having Roger in the stands, and Carlos, and Juan Carlos, and the atmosphere has been very, very great.

Playing against Novak, you know, in a final, it's always very, very tough, so I'm happy how I handled these kind of situations, and, yeah, very happy to hold this trophy here.

And, yeah, the season's not over yet, it's still a couple of tournaments, but, you know, throughout the whole season I had a lot of success, and hopefully we can keep going, keep improving as a player, and then we see what's coming.

Q. Congratulations. You commented that you're playing in front of Federer and against Djokovic, I mean, so many improvements in your game, but how do you maintain such composure?

JANNIK SINNER: Well, I know this year has been very, very tough for me because of other circumstances, and, you know, at points I lost a little bit of smile because I had some issues off the court, and then they're still in my mind sometimes.

So, it's never easy to play in these kind of circumstances where I am in, but, you know, so I just tried to enjoy in the best possible way I can on the court. And, you know, obviously success is something great, and then it's nice to say thanks to all the people who are working with me daily, who knows me more than most likely all the other people.

So, I just try to stay very calm, and not making any problems if you miss shots or you get unlucky sometimes, you know, just trying to keep pushing with the best energy I have in that day. Every day's a bit different, so I'm happy how I'm handling, you know, the situations on the court. I try to control what I can control, and that's, for sure, the mind, and also the physical aspect you can control. But the rest, you know, you just have to believe, and trying to stay composed, and especially in important moments in a match.

Q. You kind of came into this tournament, I guess, in a less than ideal situation, because you had the loss in Beijing, and you also had the appeal news coming through in Beijing. You said, I think, in the first press conference, that you were not in the most comfortable situation you could be in. I just, could you just talk, I guess, a little bit more about how you sort of compartmentalized that and just got on through the tournament to prevail over everyone.

JANNIK SINNER: You know, people, they think that, you know, by winning or having success that you don't have any problems, but it's not true, you know, because I'm, the situation where I'm in, obviously, it's not comfortable, and I wish I would not be in this position where I am right now off the court, and playing freely more on the court, and trying even to enjoy it a little bit more.

But, you know, you have to accept it. I feel like that I'm strong when I go on the court, trying to don't think about it, and trying to stay focused about everything I do, and I give a hundred percent in every single, you know, match or practice, or when I wake up I try to be focused on every single thing I do.

But then, of course, I have moments where I think about it, which is not comfortable, and not the best part. So, yeah, you take the success in a different way, and I think that's what I learned is that the success will never change me as a person, or as a player also because, you know, next tournament I can go far again, or I could lose the first round, but it's not going to change me as a person, as a human.

So, I'm very glad to all the people that I have around, and they know me very, very good, and know how I am, and I know who the people that I can trust to, and that for me is the most important. Whatever I can achieve on the court, it's just an extra, it's that what I work for, but, you know, that's it.

Q. What have you done differently this year compared with last year that you have made such a huge progress in terms of game results, and I think this is the biggest year of your career so far, so what's your take on that?

JANNIK SINNER: Yeah, well, you know, I changed some things. You know, I feel like that physically I'm ready to play for a longer amount of time at the highest level possible. Also mentally I'm ready to accept every tough situation on the court, and which I think that's the biggest step I made forward. And, you know, just trying to stay as calm as possible, and even to keep working hard, you know, it doesn't really matter if you have a good week or a bad week, just trying to improve daily, whenever you have a chance to, trying out new things, trying to see new things, in worst case you saw what's working and what's not working. And, you know, trying to be, you know, mature enough to understand what's working, and, you know, I feel like that for me made a big impact this year, and hopefully it's going to help me also for the next year.

Q. You become the youngest champion of this tournament. Given everything else that you've also achieved this year, do you feel like there is a whole world of possibilities in front of you.

JANNIK SINNER: What do you mean?

Q. Lots of great things to come.

JANNIK SINNER: Well, I don't know. This I don't know. We cannot predict the future, you never know what's going to happen. For sure I will keep working hard, me and my team. I have these two new members in my team where I feel like that I can learn many, many things, with Simone and Darren it's a great, great combination of coaches. And the all-around team, it helps me a lot, it's very comfortable to stay with them. I always feel like that it's, you know, a part of family already, so it's nice.

And we will keep working hard. I mean, we're going to try out some new things off the court, just to see what's going to help me or not. And, you know, I feel like that the work there will never stop, so I'm looking forward to that.

And as I said, about the success of the future, you never know what's going to happen, so let's see.

Q. I just wondered if you can tell us how you're going to celebrate tonight, if you will get the chance to celebrate.

JANNIK SINNER: That's a good question. I don't know. At the moment, I'm very hungry, so I'm going to eat something here. It has been two very long weeks, tough weeks, with a lot of matches, and, you know, I think the best thing is maybe go, you know, to rest. You know, in two, three days I play already the next match, so, you know, just trying to be somehow ready for that one. Obviously the most important part is, it was here in this tournament, was that day today, so I'm very happy about that. And, you know, just trying to, of course, you're going to enjoy, because this is a very special moment, winning any tournament is amazing, especially this one here, so we're going to enjoy it, for sure, but nothing crazy.