INTERNAZIONALI BNL D'ITALIA

May 7, 2026

Jannik Sinner

Press Conference

An interview with:

JANNIK SINNER

THE MODERATOR: Anyone for first question?

Q. Jannik, I was wondering how did you end it up after Madrid and how you are getting here in Italy?

JANNIK SINNER: Yes, it's of course nice to be here. It's a very, very special tournament - for us Italians even more.

I had a couple days off not doing anything. I felt like it was very much needed. Today first day again. So first time hitting here this afternoon. So let's see how it goes.

I have a couple of days to prepare. It's not a lot, but in the same time I also know in the back of my mind that I played a lot.

Very happy to be here. It has been a very special place since many, many years. Let's see what's coming this year.

Q. There's been some talk from some players about potentially boycotting the Grand Slams if agreements aren't reached, like prize money. Where do you stand on that? Is that something you would ever consider?

JANNIK SINNER: Yeah, I mean, first of all I think the Grand Slams, they are the best and the most important tournaments we have in our schedule.

I do believe that starting also back in the days, the further or past generations we had. I can only talk about the tour since I know. It's going back 15-plus years.

Having the victory, not only them, also from the women's side, incredible rivalries. Now it's our generation and also for the future generation.

It's more about respect, you know? Because I think we give much more than what we are getting back. It's not only for the top players; it's for all of us players. Again, from men's and women's side, we are very, very equal.

I think the top 10 men, top 10 women, we wrote a letter. It's not nice that after one year we are not even close to conclusion of what we would like to have.

Talking in other sports, if the top athletes, they send important letters, I truly believe that within 48 hours you have not only a response but you also have a meeting with this kind of thing, so...

Of course, we talk about money. The most important is respect, and we just don't feel it. I think we players, we are a bit disappointed also of the outcome of Roland Garros, for example. So let's see what's coming.

I think in the next couple of weeks we know also the prize money we're going to have in Wimbledon. We truly hope that it's going to be better. Then, of course, US Open.

So I do understand players talking about boycott 'cause it's somewhere we also need to start. Now it has been a very long time with this. Then we see in the future.

Q. Given how ambitious you are, how much you're focused on winning tennis matches and tournaments, would you be willing to not play a big event in this case if you haven't received that respect overtime?

JANNIK SINNER: Of course, it's tough to say. I cannot predict the future in a way. But in the same time I also believe that somewhere we need to start.

I understand other players not playing. But yeah, let's see. Definitely I can see all the press conferences, and I'm definitely not the only one. It's the first time that I feel like the players are all in the same scenario and in the same point of view.

I think it's also right because without that, without the players, they are not going to happen any tournaments. In the same time we also know and we respect the tournaments because they make us bigger as athletes. I mean, we are very neutral in that.

But yeah, I mean, let's see in the future.

Q. You keep winning in the clay season. Maybe you think is too much? Roland Garros is just coming, and Rome is your home country. I'm wondering, is there a priority between these two biggest events in clay?

JANNIK SINNER: Well, I think the biggest title we have and the most important is always going to be a Grand Slam. It's going to be Paris. I hope that I'm in a top, top physical, mental shape there. Of course, this is a very important tournament for me coming up.

I had some great, great results, especially this year, on clay. This gives me confidence. In the same time, you also need to handle your body and mind in a very good way. We decide here to rest a little bit more and then we see how it goes.

Q. Jannik, could I take you back 10 years. Could you talk about the decision to go and train at the Piatti academy when you were young, how difficult it might have been, how emotional it might have been leaving your parents and home, some things you had to teal with as a young boy.

JANNIK SINNER: Yes, of course the decision was not easy because I had to leave family. But I know that family, they are next to me in any decision. It's more like I'm going away from friends, because I was not anymore so much in contact with them. I have couple of very good friends. We still manage having the best friendship because they know you or they know me since I'm very young and I was no one. I think this is the best friendship we have.

But in the same time, yeah, I was struggling to get used to new conditions also for my body. I never went to the gym before. I never played more than couple of times a week before. With 13 and a half, everything has changed.

But I believe it was good for me as growing as a person mostly, then a player. Of course, you dream to play in the biggest stages possible.

But yeah, it was not easy. In the same time I was very, very fortunate where they put me, getting to know people. I was living with a Croatian family which I'm still in contact with.

It has been an amazing experience. I would do it again, not because of the result I have on court, but because it makes me grow as a person first.

Yeah, that's it.