NITTO ATP FINALS

November 12, 2023

Jannik Sinner

Pala Alpitour,Torino

Press Conference

J. SINNER/S. Tsitsipas

6-4, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Well done, Jannik. Have you ever experienced such a great atmosphere on a tennis court before today?

JANNIK SINNER: No. The atmosphere was really, really nice. It's huge pleasure for me to play here in Turin, in Italy. Obviously a little bit more pressure, but I managed it really well today, so I'm happy.

The performance was great, which is the most important thing. Very happy about today.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Jannik, you speak about the atmosphere. Did it in one sense take you by surprise with the way it was and the singing at the end? If you could also touch on that pressure aspect of what's expected of yourself and for the fans.

JANNIK SINNER: I knew a little bit what to expect before the match because of two years ago when I entered in the court. But I felt like today was a little bit different.

Also my baggage of experience and how I am as a player in two years, some things has changed, so the mindset is a little bit different.

I think generally the crowd today was really, really nice. They were pushing me, not only when I won the point but also when I lost the point. I think the ability to handle this kind of thing, but also not playing only for me but also for the fans and everything, I think it's a great balance.

Today I had great balance on court, which today was the most important. It was a great start of the tournament.

Q. You are everywhere. Your photos are on the streets, in restaurants, at the bus stations. Turin loves you. Is it more pressure for you or motivation?

JANNIK SINNER: It's nice to see. It means that the people really care about not only me, but I think for the tennis in general. I feel like it grows a little bit faster now. Before was a lot of only one sport in Italy. Now it's raising the tennis also history a little bit. It's nice to be part of this.

Generally I feel like that I'm, as I said before, the season what I played which allows me to come here with a positive mindset. Before here we had one practice week, which for me was really important to get used to the conditions. We came here quite early, Monday.

I think all the things together, they help me for today's performance. Hopefully I can keep going like this.

Q. You're facing Holger Rune later on in this group stage. You had a very close match in Monaco earlier this year. What are your thoughts about facing him?

JANNIK SINNER: Yeah, for me this year was a little bit of the year also to understand myself a little bit better in certain situations. Losing against Daniil many times, trying to find a way to win... Hopefully I can do the same against Holger. I never won against him. Last year in Sofia, I hurt myself, but he was a break up in the third. This year in Monaco, he was playing some great tennis.

I'm looking forward to it. These are kind of challenges what I love to go against. Hopefully it's going to be a good match, which is I think our main goal.

Q. What was going through your mind when the fans were chanting your name at the end? It was almost like a football atmosphere there.

JANNIK SINNER: Yeah, the feeling is this, yeah, it's kind of a football stadium. Also with the roof closed, it's a little bit louder. It's nice. It means that the people, they really care about me.

Playing here in Turin and also the walk-on is a little bit different because you're in the tunnel, then you see your face and everything, then you go on the court, which is quite long walk-on.

Yeah, the tournament and the atmosphere is different. It's nice to be part.