Jannik Sinner is looking forward to his future rivalry with Carlos Alcaraz despite losing to the Spaniard in the Roland Garros semi-finals.
It wasn’t to be for the Italian as he lost to Alcaraz 2-6 6-3 3-6 6-4 6-3 in a gruelling five set match that lasted just over four hours.
The match didn’t provide the highest quality but it was Alcaraz who was more composed in the big moments as he reached his first Roland Garros final.
Despite the defeat it has been an encouraging week for Sinner who not only reached his maiden Roland Garros semi-final but also became world number one for the first time.
Speaking after the match Sinner admitted he was ‘disappointed’ but is looking forward to improving his game, “Well, I think it was a great match. For sure the sets he won he played better in the important points, no? I think that was the key,” Sinner said in his press conference.
“Obviously disappointed how it ended, but, you know, it’s part of my growing and the process. Thinking back, before the tournament reaching this point, I’m obviously very happy. In the other way, I’m disappointed about the match today.
“Now I’m just keep looking forward to improve, to trying to do my best I can, and then we see what I can do in the future here in this tournament. If we watch the positive side, I have improved from last year, for sure. Yeah, there is another chance to play here for the Olympics. Then we see how it goes.”
It was a gruelling four hour match that tested Sinner’s fitness levels after entering the tournament with injury doubts especially with his hip.
However after the match Sinner revealed it was actually a problem with his hand and not his hip that was the problem, “Tension and after, cramps a little bit. I handled these situations a little bit better now,” Sinner explained.
“I had previous years a couple of, you know, of these kind of moments where I couldn’t handle them. If we watch that, I handled them a little bit better. It was quite early in the match. We didn’t play so much, so I was not worried about my body. Was keeping up quite well.
“No, the hip was okay. You know, so the match the more goes on, the right hip doesn’t have the strength of the left hip. It’s normal at this moment, no, so sometimes I feel a little bit, especially after two-and-a-half hours and until the four hours, but this is no excuse.
“I was moving good. I was feeling quite good on the court. So I’m not anymore worried about the hip. Just disappointed about how it went today. Just have to accept it.”
Sinner’s defeat to Alcaraz was their ninth meeting already with the Spaniard now leading the head-to-head 5-4.
Speaking on the match up with the Wimbledon champion, Sinner said the future is exciting as he looks to have more matches with the world number three, “But for sure, I mean, if we watch the results, you know, we always or most likely when we play against to play in the semis or final or quarters. Very important matches,” Sinner explained.
“I think that’s exciting for the game, especially when head-to-head is quite close. And, you know, the winner is happy and then the loser tries to find a way to beat him the next time, no? I think that’s exciting. That’s what I will try to do.”
Now Sinner will head to the grass court season as world number one for the first time in his career.
The Italian ended his press conference by stating that he is excited to go back to Wimbledon and will prepare by playing Halle, “I mean, you know, grass season is different. The preparation is different. You know, you use different muscles,” Sinner concluded.
“Let’s see how I play in Halle. Obviously Halle is completely different than Wimbledon, but it’s still grass. I’m looking forward to it. I mean, last year I had a great Wimbledon, so let’s see what I can do this year. I’m happy to come back and, yeah, and then we see how it goes.”
Halle starts on Monday 17th of June.
