Jannik Sinner hails "idol" Matteo Berrettini after posting first win at ATP Finals, wishes the injured Italian a speedy recovery
Jannik Sinner opened his 2021 ATP Finals campaign with a dominant win over Hubert Hurkacz on Tuesday. Sinner, who took Matteo Berrettini's place in the Red Group following the 25-year-old's withdrawal, produced a masterclass of attacking tennis to dismiss Hurkacz 6-2, 6-2 in an hour and 25 minutes.
Following his win, the Italian youngster paid tribute to Berrettini by writing an emotional message on the camera lens.
"Matteo, sei un idol" (Matteo you are an idol), Sinner wrote.
Berrettini suffered an injury to his right oblique during his opening round-robin match against Alexander Zverev. He was forced to withdraw from the match shortly after the first set and eventually pulled out of the entire competition.
Discussing Berrettini's unfortunate withdrawal, Sinner said the Italian had been "unlucky" in the past when it came to injuries. The youngster added that he was hoping to do well in the tournament, as he was "going to play for [Berrettini]".
Sinner then went on to wish his countryman a speedy recovery.
"Of course in one way it is a highlight playing here," Sinner said. "On the other way it’s not the way you want to play, especially when Matteo is pulling out."
"He has been unlucky many many times already in his career," he continued. "And I wish him all the best. I’m going to play for him this tournament because he deserves more than me to be here, so I give my best."
"The atmosphere is amazing playing here, fans cheering for me and for Italy" - Jannik Sinner
During his post-match press conference, Jannik Sinner spoke about how it felt to play in front of a packed home crowd. The Italian said it was a "special" experience and that he enjoyed the "amazing" atmosphere in the stadium.
Shifting his focus to the playing conditions, Sinner said the courts felt quite similar to those at the NextGen Finals in Milan. The Italian, who lifted the crown in Milan in 2019, said he enjoyed playing on these courts.
"Of course the atmosphere is amazing playing here, cheering for me and for Italy," Sinner said. "We try. I think playing in Italy is special because you stick together, you want to win together, and I had this feeling today. When the whole stadium is playing against one guy, it's not easy. So, yeah, a lot of credit to the crowd."
"I have to say the courts are quite similar to Milan, the NextGen," he continued. "I won there couple of years ago, and now here they are quite fast. I feel well on these courts."