THE CHAMPIONSHIPS

July 9, 2025

Jannik Sinner

Press Conference

J. SINNER/B. Shelton

7-6, 6-4, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Jannik, you must be quite pleased with your performance today.

JANNIK SINNER: Yes, very happy. It was a very tough match, knowing already before it. Tried to stay very solid. Trying to get through my service games and to see what I can do in the return games. Obviously very happy about today's performance.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. When did you know that you'd be able to play this match?

JANNIK SINNER: Yeah, yesterday I played 20 minutes without serving and not hitting 100%. But in the other way, I always try to put myself in the position at least to go out there and try.

I had quite good feelings in the warm-up today. Yeah, so I felt also yesterday that mentally I have to get ready. I put into my mind that I'm going to play today. Yeah, so the concerns were not that big if I would play or not. It was just a matter of what my percentage is.

Today was very high, so I'm happy.

Q. I wanted to ask you about something you said on the court about getting used to playing on the big stages. I'm curious about your opponent, who keeps losing to you and Alcaraz on these big stages. How much do you think, for you, it was mental in getting over and getting used to playing in these places, and how much is it just becoming a better tennis player?

JANNIK SINNER: Well, it's a difficult question. I don't know.

It's not only a matter of what kind of stages you play, but also quarterfinals in Grand Slams are different. Semifinals in Grand Slams are different, and finals obviously are different, too.

You feel that before the watch, the walk-on. You know also the warm-up, that you try to have good feelings. So at times it's very difficult also for us to play against these kind of players. Ben is very young, huge servers. It's not easy to play against them because you might have chances, and then he serves well, and you don't know exactly what to do. When he serves 140 miles on the line, it's quite impossible also to return.

It's also mental. I always say tennis is a mental game. Yeah, I think it's a mix of experience, getting used to it, and also, of course, the main priority is to get better as a player.

Q. When you slipped in your last match, it was sort of on the side of the court where the grass is a little bit different than the baseline. As you get into the second week of Wimbledon, there's very big difference between the surface at the baseline and the sides of the court. How do you manage that? Is it easier to move on the part that is just dirt than first round where it's more even grass?

JANNIK SINNER: Also there is experience, a lot of things because when it's used a lot and you can see the dirt, then it's easy to move. But then there are places where it's this yellow grass. When it's hot, the ball gets very fast. Then obviously there is the quiet new grass, which is a little bit different to move also.

But yeah, for example, today I play with completely new shoes to have more grip. I haven't even played practice. It was completely new, which usually in other surfaces I don't do.

Yeah, you always, of course, on grass the main priority is to have lots of grip. So yeah, have to get used to it.

Q. Having won the US Open and the Australian, is the prize of winning a Wimbledon greater than it has been because it would be your first major not on hard court?

JANNIK SINNER: Yeah, of course. Of course, you aim to win tournaments you haven't won, different surfaces where you haven't won. But in the same time, I try to understand what kind of player I am on this surface, what kind of player I am on clay.

Seeing last year how I played on clay, and this year I believe I have improved as a player. Hopefully that's the same thing what I can do here on grass and trying to understand and also believing I'm a better tennis player on grass.

Just trying to put myself in these positions, semifinals of Grand Slams. They're amazing occasions, great chances. I'm happy that I've put myself here again in this position and to see what I can achieve.

I haven't won, so I want it even more. It doesn't work. I always believe that you have one opponent at a time. Hopefully I can show some good tennis in the next round. If not, obviously it's impossible that I win that match.

Yeah, just trying to enjoy and have fun.

Q. Obviously you don't know who you're going to play in the semifinal yet, but if you could look at either of those matchups, how do you approach either? Very differently.

JANNIK SINNER: Yeah, of course, different. Different matchup. Me and Novak, we know us better because we played quite a lot. So we understand what's working and what's not.

But yeah, I've never won against him here in Wimbledon, so it's going to be a very, very tough challenge.

If it's Flavio, I think he showed us also, not only this tournament but throughout the whole season, that he is a player who belongs here, who plays great tennis. He has a great mentality and good competitor. It's going to be different.

But yeah, let's see who wins. Tomorrow I have one day to prepare, to rest, a good mix of that, and hopefully be ready for Friday.

Q. How different of a player are you from 2023? Do you feel different coming here now in terms of yourself and your ability, your belief?

JANNIK SINNER: Yes, of course. Back in the days, a couple of years ago, many things have changed for me. I feel that before matches I'm more comfortable, let's say, or confident. But in the same time, I know that I have to keep working and keep putting pressure on myself because new players are coming. The new, new generation is growing. Novak is here and obviously Carlos and a lot of other players.

The work never stops, you know? I think that's exciting. But yeah, I believe that I'm different player, different person. Hopefully I can say that I'm more mature, too, yeah.