AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 16, 2026

Jannik Sinner

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: Jannik, welcome back to Melbourne Park. You couldn't defend your title at the 1 Point Slam, so how do you see your chances for a three-peat in the real tournament?

JANNIK SINNER: Yeah, hopefully I have a bit more control over three of five sets.

No, it's great to be back here. It's such a special place for me. Starting the season here is always very, very nice, very beautiful. Obviously you never know what's happening. Let's see what's coming.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. The 1 Point Slam, what was that pressure like? You've played a lot of big matches. Serving to an amateur in front of people and missing, what is going through your mind in that moment? Do you understand what it takes to win that really intense, really focused event?

JANNIK SINNER: Honestly, was a great experience. I was not a big fan in the beginning. But when you are there and playing and seeing other matches play, it was so fun.

To be packed stadium before the main event, it's great. Yeah, there was no better ending, I would say, especially for the first edition of this, that an amateur wins. He really needs it in a very positive way.

Yeah, but it was something different, no? Because you're not warm, you wait 40 minutes, and then you just play maybe one point or you don't even play because someone makes a mistake. It was something fun to play, but mostly also to watch.

I love to watch also the end. It was very nice.

Q. Could you talk us through the decision not to play a warm-up event here in Australia. Also, on the exhibition with Carlos in South Korea, when you're playing in an exhibition as opposed to a Grand Slam, do you learn very much about playing him?

JANNIK SINNER: You know, this exhibition, every exhibition, is so different. You don't really have this full match feeling back. You're not this nervous and tight before these kind of matches. It's completely different.

In the other way, it's good that you play again a bit in front of a crowd, which gives you this nice feeling. But it was pretty relaxed occasion.

In the past couple of years, I haven't played any official match before here because of the simple fact that I wanted to have a good off-season, a longer off-season, to get ready for this season again.

Today I have one practice match with Felix, which helps a bit to have this match feeling hopefully a bit back. Doesn't matter about the result today. It's more about getting out there and understanding the feeling of the court. And then hopefully I'm ready.

In the other way, even if sometimes you play a tournament before, it can help you, but it also cannot help you because every situation and then general feeling, especially in a Grand Slam, is different. Let's see what's coming.

Q. You said after the US Open you wanted to work on your variety, get some new weapons. What did you want to work on in the off-season?

JANNIK SINNER: We worked a lot on trying to make the transition to the net. The serve we change a couple of things. But all small details. When you are at the top level, there are the small details make the difference.

But I would say the first matches, you know, you try to get used to the match feeling again, and then after you try to add something. Again, we see how things go. We see what conditions we play in.

Today, for example, is very, very windy, so it's completely different than playing even in the evening or night session. So let's see what this season will bring.

Q. Along the same lines, when you're trying to add variety, do you do it, use it against every player, or is it really solely for Carlos?

JANNIK SINNER: No, it's not only for one specific player. Look, if you add something to your game, the aim is to get better as a tennis player. It's not about beating one guy. It's more about feeling comfortable in every situation. That's what we tried to do in the off-season.

We worked a lot physically. Also the physical part now is so, so important because the matches, they can get very long but also very intense. The tennis now, it's very fast. You have to be at the top physical level as long as you can.

The season is very long, so you have to manage your body in the best possible way. Also the mental ability to stay there always, it's going to be very important.

But it's not only for one player, no. It's that you feel comfortable in many situations.

Q. Darren, this time last year with you, last season with you, tell us how important it is to you and what the plan is going forward with him?

JANNIK SINNER: Yes, he's so important for all of us, for all the team. He has this huge experience. He knows me now as not only as a player but also as a person now in a different way.

He is very important. He's the man who has under control kind of everything. He's our dad for the whole team (smiling). It's good to have him. You feel in a very safe place. It's good.

So let's see what's coming for us this year.

Q. This is a great tournament for you, but you've spoken about how last year with difficult for you and for a moment you considered walking away from tennis. Can you tell me more about that moment.

JANNIK SINNER: You know, last year was definitely, I would say, much more difficult situation, 'cause in this moment last year I didn't know exactly what's going to happen. So I tried still to enjoy it when you go out on the court, but you still have it in your head kind of.

It was difficult. Now it's tough to say because, you know, I know the ending, you know? I knew the kind of ending, I knew what was coming out. In the same time it was difficult for me, but also for the family. I tried to stay with the people I really love, which at times worked very well. At times it was a bit disappointing, too.

But it is what it is, right? After that, I think everything happens for a reason. It got me even stronger as a person. Doesn't taking away the player's part. The person I've become, it's much more mature in a way because I see things when they're not going in the right direction different ways.

I surrounded myself with really, really good people. I'm very happy with the people I have. So that for me is the most important. Whatever comes on court, the result-wise, that's all an extra. I live the sport also in a very different way now, which is relaxed, but I give everything I have. It's a balance of everything. So yeah, I'm very happy.