"When we play (against Alcaraz), it's a very good matchup, we both try our best. We have a lot of respect for each other and, obviously, off the court we don't speak that much because he has his own things and I have my things. He's a player who can show so many things and he has a lot of emotions. He shows really good fighting spirit and everyone is different no, I'm not showing so many emotions on the court but it works as well on my side. Very happy always when I face him, it gives me a new perspective for where I have to work on. Last year, I lost against him also in the semifinals there [Indian Wells] and I just tried to be ready for here [Miami Open], hopefully, I can do this year the same."

"I think pressure is a privilege to have. There are not so many players who have this privilege. Davis Cup pressure is different because you know that you have a big responsibility to show because you don’t have many chances."

"Tennis is the most important thing in my life after family and friends. The main element is always the passion for sport. The desire to set a goal every day, right from when you wake up, taking into account the difficult moments is fundamental. If you really like the sport you do, you can overcome any hard times."

"At the top level, there are little things you have to improve on. In general you have to get better at everything, and we try to do that. We’ve put a lot of work in, much more physically than tennis-wise, so many hours in the gym and I’ve also worked on the mentality as well, trying not to have so many problems in my head, so this is a lot of work to do, especially in the next couple of years, this is going to be very important for my future."

"Tomorrow I have a day off, trying to practice myself into match rhythm. I also will go to the gym. Even if you can't see it, I'm skinny ... but it's OK. Of course it's all muscle. Unfortunately not, but it's OK. I'm happy with my physicality at the moment. Of course it's a dream to have the 'Baywatch' physique but it's OK."

"If I could wake up and be another tennis player for a day, I would like to be Roger Federer. He can do everything. He has all the solutions in the world on the court".

"Success will never change me as a person. This is also very important. You need rivalries. You need better players than you. Carlos is an all around player. An incredible talent. We saw this today on court. Drop shots.. he can do everything. I look up to these guys. I look up to Novak. I look up to Carlos. To have a point where I can say ‘ok it’s very important for me to improve… This is exactly what motivates me.”

“Alcaraz and I are two very different players. I keep the pace very high, I’m mentally strong. He is physically strong and tennis-wise he has something more at the moment. He plays slice and volleys better, but for me it’s positive. It means I have room to improve. Carlos is outstanding on the court… drop shots, passing shots, lobs, great volleys. I don’t know if I’ll ever be like that. As a tennis player I’m solid and when needed I can hit the winner. We both bring out the best in the important points".

"Carlos is similar to Nadal, he presses from the first point and runs a lot. He knows how to turn on the crowd. I am calmer, colder, but I can get hot too. Sometimes it’s good to get nervous and yell at the team, to step out of the box for a moment and then get back into it. You can do it if you have people you trust around you.”

"Every player is so tough. Also emotion-wise, it’s sometimes not easy. But if I go in my way, I want to push myself to the limits because I know that, especially there, I can show some very good tennis."

"My idol has always been Roger Federer.  I dreamed of playing with him, but unfortunately it never happened"

"I try to stay focused on the process and keep working hard every day. I believe in the process, and the results will come.".

"Pressure is part of the game. It's about how you handle it and use it to your advantage.".

"You always have to work on your game and keep improving. There's never a point where you stop learning.".

"It's important to stay humble, keep your feet on the ground, and work hard no matter what success comes your way."

"Obviously, having this trophy, it’s an amazing feeling. I feel grateful to have this here, but I know that I have to work even harder because the opponents will find a way to beat me, and I have to be prepared."

"Even during the tournament we were trying to get stronger, trying to understand the situation a bit better so I am so glad to have you there supporting me and understanding me which sometimes is not easy because I am still a little but young. It is what it is."

"The only thing I can control is that I can fight for every ball, then we can see what the outcome will be."

"You never know if you can achieve these kinds of things, especially when you are younger and you decide to try to be a professional tennis player - I was never dreaming to become that good. It has been something incredible. I come from a normal family, and where I'm from, we usually do more winter sports than summer sports. I was just trying to get better".

"There is always pressure, but the pressure is something good. You have to take it in a good way. It’s a privilege, no?   There are not so many players who have this kind of pressure, but in the other way, when you have pressure, it’s always, ‘OK, he believes that I can really do it’. So, yes, I like to dance in the pressure storm.  Me, personally, I like it because that’s where most of the time I bring out my best tennis. I’m also quite relaxed on this occasion because I always try to enjoy on the court, so I think pressure is a privilege, to be honest."

"Smile, for it's the simplest curve that can set everything straight."

"You have to fight and work for every point, and that's what I try to do on the court."

"This makes me realize that the work never stops. It's always a continuation of work which, at the end of the day, if you want to be a better player you always have to work, and you have to have these daily routines and accept difficult times on court."

"It is a bit different, for sure. It's something new, but it's also nice to see. Nice to see new champions. Nice to see new rivalries. I feel it's good for the sport to have some new champions."

"Even if from outside you cannot see these changes, but as a player you realize it".

"That’s it, no? I think tennis is an all-around game, also the physical part is very important".

"We made some changes, but let’s see this year how it goes."

"Tennis is a good sport because you can always set new goals. It doesn't really matter what kind of title you win. The next week is a good opportunity to do again something great."

"At the end of last year, I played really good. I have still the confidence inside me, for sure. In the other way, every season is different. Every tournament is different."

"It was all really tight… but actually these (are) the kinds of moments I really love to play,” Sinner said of his turnaround. “This is what I practice for, and I’m really excited when we have these pressure points on. I’m just trying to stay aggressive, and it went my way today o I’m really happy."

"I want to improve every day, and that’s the most important thing for me."

"I think I'm improving every day, every match that I'm playing I'm feeling better and better moving, hitting the ball, and, of course I'm getting used to this court as well,"

"To me, talent doesnt exist, it has to be earned. Your ability may be a little better, but if you work, you will rise higher. The one who works is the talented one".

"Every one of us is a different player. I feel like that also mentally everyone is different and attitude on the court is different - but what I think we have in common is we believe in ourselves and this helps a lot.

"I always try to learn from them and then trying to get something from them. This has always been part of the process, and the process we are making is not finished yet. I feel like that we still have to improve a lot."

"Darren and I talk about normal things, not always about tennis. Then 20 minutes before the match, we talk about tactics, how to handle things".

"I have a lot of respect for all of players, but I don't have fear to face them. I think that's also a quality, because especially when you play the pressure points and important points, you know, I still like to go for the shots. I don't wait to see what my opponent does most of the time. So if I have to choose one quality, it's this one."

"There will always be people who talk. You have to be smart as a player to give it the right importance when they talk about you. For me, it doesnt really matter what people say. I cannot control everyone".

He makes things very difficult to play obviously. He puts a lot of pressure on you. You know, he changed a couple of things today, like, tactically, which I have to watch out for the next time. I have to improve couple of things and trying to beat him again. “I think that’s also the good and positive side of this sport.”

"Tennis-wise, I played a little bit better. I felt better on the court. With the roof closed, it’s a little bit different. I love the conditions."

“For sure I can improve. Today I played quite well and I felt good on the court. I was very calm and stable throughout the whole match. We have to see how I go when the match is closer and when the sets are closer".

"Today it seemed easier than it was because he played well throughout the whole tournament. I wish him all the best. He’s a very nice person, a nice man, and hopefully, we can see him many more times making some good draws the whole year."

"Being able to make them happy today is a great feeling because I feel like they push me also, that I can believe in myself and then having so much support – it's amazing. It's like the crowd ... when the stadium is packed, 15,000 people, they are cheering for you or for your opponent. It's an amazing feeling just to go on court, then obviously when you're in a tough situation, you want to make a good match also. Like today, I was going so fast, I was two-sets-to-love down, but all the people who came there to watch; I was like, I have to at least try to make it a match somehow, and that was today's case".

“Being calm is, for me as a player, really important, because you can see things a little bit better and a little bit faster,”

“If you get frustrated, it’s like when you drive a car fast and you don’t see well what’s outside. At that point, I understood that obviously results matter, but what really matters is trying to work hard, waking up and going to work and doing it with a smile”

“I went to a couple of tournaments when I was younger – 16 or 17 – and I lost. And afterwards I called my parents and I wanted to explain what happened. And they said, ‘Yeah, OK, but we have to talk later because we have to work now, OK?’”

“At that point, I understood that obviously results matter, but what really matters is trying to work hard, waking up and going to work and doing it with a smile. My parents always came home and smiled. So that’s what they gave me: a really positive mindset with a really good work ethic.”

“I chose to play tennis because it’s a healthy competition. You don’t have contact with your opponent, but you can still hurt him”

“but what helped me more was the mental part. When you ski and you make one mistake, you cannot win the race. If you fall, you’re out of competition.”

I have this thing that when we have a good week we always eat a hamburger.”

“For sure there is now more motivation. I’m in a different position than I was one year ago, because in my mind I know that I can do certain things. I always believed, but it is different when you know that you can do it. It’s exciting.”

“I am more in the gym than the tennis court right now. Everybody is different. Me, for example, I have to be strong and stable. And I think that’s one of the reasons why I made this extra step [of winning a Grand Slam], because physically I’ve grown. When I was 20, I still didn’t have the body of a 20-year-old – and you have to accept that…”

(See below for Bio.)

 

Jannik Sinner - Biography

Jannik Sinner is an Italian professional tennis player widely respected for his mental discipline, emotional control, and ability to perform consistently under extreme pressure. Born on 16 August 2001 in San Candido, South Tyrol, and raised in the mountain village of Sexten, Sinner was shaped early by an environment that valued focus, routine, and resilience. His parents worked at a ski lodge, and from the age of three he split his time between skiing and tennis, developing balance, coordination, and competitive awareness well beyond his years. By eight, he was a national ski champion, an experience that taught him how to stay composed in demanding conditions and trust his preparation rather than emotion.

At thirteen, Sinner made the decisive choice to fully commit to tennis, relocating to Bordighera to train under renowned coach Riccardo Piatti. The move required significant personal sacrifice and mental adjustment, reinforcing habits of independence, self-discipline, and long-term thinking. Piatti became a central mentor in Sinner’s development, helping him build a process-driven mindset where progress, consistency, and emotional regulation were prioritised over short-term results. These foundations became evident as Sinner turned professional in 2018 and began climbing the rankings with striking composure and maturity.

Sinner’s breakthrough came rapidly. In 2019, he was named ATP Newcomer of the Year and won the Next Generation ATP Finals, displaying an ability to remain calm and decisive in high-pressure matches against elite peers. His quarterfinal run at the 2020 French Open further highlighted his mental toughness, as he sustained focus deep into long, physically and mentally demanding contests. Known for trusting preparation and staying present point by point, Sinner developed a reputation as a player who grows stronger as matches intensify.

From 2021 onward, Sinner established himself among the world’s top players, capturing multiple ATP titles, a Masters 1000 crown, and reaching the latter stages of Grand Slams with increasing consistency. In 2024 and 2025, he reached the pinnacle of the sport, winning multiple Grand Slam titles, spending extended periods ranked World No. 1, and reaching four consecutive major finals. His performances during this period reflected exceptional emotional control, resilience after setbacks, and the ability to reset quickly after missed opportunities. Coached by Riccardo Piatti and Andrea Volpini, and supported by elite performance specialists, Sinner embodies the modern high-performance athlete whose greatest strength lies not only in power and precision, but in mental clarity, patience, and unwavering self-belief.

Mental Strength

Jannik Sinner demonstrates exceptional mental strength, combining focus, composure, and strategic thinking to perform consistently at the highest level. His approach to tennis is defined by trusting preparation, staying present point by point, and maintaining calm under pressure. Sinner excels in high-stakes situations, converting challenging matches into opportunities to showcase his resilience and adaptability.

He has developed a mindset that balances confidence with patience, allowing him to reset quickly after setbacks and maintain consistent performance across tournaments. Sinner’s mental framework emphasizes the importance of preparation, routine, and focus, enabling him to navigate intense pressure moments with clarity and composure.

For aspiring athletes and high-performance individuals, Sinner’s example teaches that mental strength is not just about staying calm but also about strategic awareness, resilience, and the ability to maintain belief in one’s process. His career demonstrates that true success arises from aligning preparation, focus, and emotional control, ensuring peak performance even in the most demanding moments.

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