Jannik Sinner is currently having the form of his life in 2024 and the now the Italian has offered an insight into how he manages to appear so calm on court.
Australian Open champion Jannik Sinner came from behind to beat Tallon Griekspoor 5-7, 7-5, 6-1 to extend his win record to 18-1. Yet he was tested by the big-serving Dutch in the first two sets and only lost his touch in the decisive third-set.
Reflecting upon his situational awareness and emotional control when things are not going his way, Sinner made some interesting comments.
“You have to control what you have to control,” he stated.
“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.
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 (against Griekspoor) 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.
“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.
“I think I played with a little bit more intensity in general to come back, but it’s also tough when the opponent is serving this well. It’s tough to get into the rally.
“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 of 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.”
The World No. 3 was also quizzed about his other sporting passion skiing, a sport in which he excelled as a junior before devoting his energies to tennis.
Sinner now limits himself to just two days a year skiing and explained why he is skeptic about the slopes now.
“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,” he added.
“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 you break something. Big issues.
“I’m very calm on the skis now. I’m not like the young kid I was before.”