Jannik Sinner: "You always feel a little bit under pressure when you play against Djokovic"
Italian tennis player Jannik Sinner emerged victorious in his Round of 16 match against Hubert Hurkacz at the 2023 Monte-Carlo Masters, coming from behind to beat the Pole 3-6, 7-6(6), 6-1.
In the post-match interview, Sinner was asked about his thoughts on the upcoming match against either Novak Djokovic or Lorenzo Sonego in the quarterfinals. Touching on the Serb first, Sinner replied that Djokovic was an incredible mover and that playing against him always puts pressure on his opponent.
He added that Djokovic's game strategy can vary from match to match, making him a tough opponent to face.
"For sure, he is an incredible mover, you always feel a little bit under pressure when you play against him. You know, how strong he can get. Match by match. Maybe today he plays in one way, and if he wins, tomorrow, he can play in another way," Jannik Sinner said.
Jannik Sinner continued by saying that he hopes to adopt a similar approach and change his game as needed. He acknowledged the need to improve his performance, admitting that he has to increase his level of play in order to compete at the highest level.
In response to the interviewer's query about potentially facing Sonego in the next round, Sinner expressed admiration for his fellow Italian. He noted that if he had to face Sonego, it means he has defeated the current World No. 1, making him a strong competitor who cannot be taken lightly.
"If I play against Lorenzo, it means that he won against the No. 1 in the world," Sinner added.
Lorenzo Sonego did end up beating Novak Djokovic later on, booking his spot in the quarterfinals against his compatriot and assuring the presence of at least one Italian in the last four in Monte-Carlo.
"Happy that it went my way" - Jannik Sinner after winning against Hubert Hurkacz
Jannik Sinner then spoke about his tough match against Hubert Hurkacz, acknowledging that he knew from the beginning that it would be challenging to get into a rhythm against the Pole. Sinner attributed his difficulties to his opponent's incredible serving skills in the first set and a half.
"Playing against him, I knew already from the beginning that it was very tough to get into the rhythm. I think he served incredible the first set or one and a half set and when I broke on the first time, I felt a little bit [better]," Jannik Sinner said.
Sinner noted that breaking his opponent's serve for the first time made him feel better, and that the momentum started to shift in his favor after that. He admitted that the match could have gone either way, especially when his opponent had a match point. Despite the challenges, Sinner expressed his joy at winning the match and being able to play one more match on the surface.
"The momentum has changed a little bit, he also had match point. These kind of matches can go both ways. Happy that it went my way and happy that I can play at least one more match in the surface," Sinner added.