US OPEN

August 28, 2025

Jannik Sinner

Press Conference

J. SINNER/A. Popyrin

6-3, 6-2, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Your thoughts on the performance today.

JANNIK SINNER: It was very, very solid performance. I felt like we both didn't serve very well today, so you know, we had a lot of rallies from the back of the court, where today I felt quite comfortable, and obviously very happy to be in the next round.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. You're playing Denis Shapovalov next. You've only faced him once before at the Aussie Open a few years ago. I wonder what your memories of that match were and what sort of challenge you can expect from Denis.

JANNIK SINNER: It was very tough, tough match. You know, some years ago now he has improved, and me also. We are in a different position than two years ago or three years ago, but it's going to be very, very tough, very difficult. He is a very talented player with huge, huge potential.

So let's see what's coming, but I'm expecting a very tough match, and then we see how it goes.

Q. How would you describe his game? You said he's very tough. What makes him tough?

JANNIK SINNER: He's unpredictable. He has a big serve. Physically he's strong. You know, he's very fast, and he doesn't have holes in his game. You know, he knows to do everything, and that's going to make it very difficult.

But I'm looking forward to it, you know. Long time that I haven't faced him, so let's see. It's going to be a new challenge again, so I'm looking forward to it. Hopefully it's going to be a good match, no? This is all we are hoping for.

But yeah, he has huge, huge potential. He has shown this over and over again. So I have to be very careful.

Q. How are you finding the conditions here this year, the court, the balls, the temperature, compared with previous years? And how does it affect your game, improve your chances, be a disadvantage? What has been your experience of it so far?

JANNIK SINNER: Well, you know, I feel like it's always very difficult to compare this tournament from last year, because, you know, you don't really remember exactly how it felt playing.

But yeah, I played two day matches and then two different conditions definitely, because the first one we started off in the sun. You know, the conditions were a bit faster. Then after they moved into a late afternoon match, I felt like, on center court, because the sun is not there anymore at some point around 3:00-ish.

Today it felt more like an evening match, for example, because it was very cloudy and getting a bit cold, a bit chilly. It depends, you know, but that's exactly what the sport makes it very interesting.

What the good part is when you play on center court, there's not so much wind. You know, outside there is a lot of wind, and it changed a lot. Inside it's more or less always one way. It's big difference between center court and Armstrong, because in Armstrong there is this part open in the middle, so it comes in, the wind, and it change.

Yeah, this is for obviously both players, and conditions are -- big serve is very difficult to beat. It's very fast. But yeah, that's it.

Q. Do you prefer the warm part of the match or when it gets a little cooler?

JANNIK SINNER: That depends also against who you play. It depends also against who you play.

Q. I just wanted to ask a question about Alcaraz and kind of what the main differences are of playing him on the different surfaces.

JANNIK SINNER: On different surface -- like when you face? Well, I don't know how much time we have (laughing).

I don't know, I feel like he is an all-around player obviously. I think we have seen that in many, many occasions, and winning Roland Garros and winning Wimbledon and winning here. You know, it shows that he knows how to play on every surface.

I've seen the match here, and he's playing very, very good and not missing barely any shots at the moment. So he's confident. It makes it very difficult to play against him, because tactically you prepare matches in different ways depending on where you play.

He is a big favorite in every tournament where he plays because he has so many solutions and game styles he can provide and he can solve problems with.

But yeah, there are many, many things what makes him so difficult to play against, but it's great for the sport. It's good to have someone like Carlos, entertaining and great to watch, and that's what people love. It's great to have him.

Q. This is the second time you've tried to defend a Grand Slam title. I'm just curious what the experience from Australia has done to help you here in New York.

JANNIK SINNER: You know, as I always say, I'm not defending. You know, I'm always chasing, because every tournament you start with zero on the first round, and if you don't play well, you are out of the tournament.

You know, you are chasing for the trophies or good performances, and that's what I'm trying to do. Obviously I know how much is on the line here in this tournament and also for the year end, but in the other way, I'm looking to play as good as I can. Then we see the outcome. The rest I cannot really control.

Australia helped me a little bit trying to understand, yes, but in the other way, the situation is different, conditions are different, and the mental part is also different, because, you know, you grow from the beginning of the year, and now you are nearly at the end of the year.

Yeah, it's all a bit different, but I'm looking forward to it. They're great challenges.