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Jannik Sinner isn't too worried about his wrist ahead of the US Open final
So 7 september 2024
Jannik Sinner's press conference following his win against Jack Draper in the semifinals of the 2024 US Open.nnJannik Sinner ne se fait pas trop de souci pour son poignet avant la finale de l'US OpennnQuestion :nJannik, if you could, your thoughts on the win?nnJannik Sinner :nYeah, tough match, physical match. Playing against Jack, it's never easy. He served very well and yeah, felt like it was a very tough match.nSo happy to win this one. Thank you.nnQuestion :nHi there, Jannik. You took a tumble and had some attention to your wrist there, or your hand. How is it?nHow much of a concern is it?nnSinner :nYeah, the physio loosened it up very fast on court. So after I felt OK in the beginning, then after it went away by playing, which is good. Let's see how it is tomorrow when it's cold.nIt's going to be a different feeling. Hopefully it's nothing to concern about. I'm quite relaxed because if it's something bad, you feel it straight away a bit more.nSo yeah, let's see how it is.nnQuestion :nCongrats on reaching the final. You said before the tournament it wasn't ideal conditions coming in, given what was happening away from the court. I just wondered, now that you're through to the final, how have you been able to compartmentalise all that and keep your focus?nnSinner :nYeah, we went just day by day, really, with not so many expectations. Trying to find my game, trying to find our rhythm. I started off the first day losing the first set.nI was at the breakdown, going through that one and just trying to find confidence throughout the days. We practised very hard in the days in between, trying to prepare each match in the best possible way. I'm happy to be in the final here.nIt's a special tournament, so let's see what's coming Sunday.nnQuestion :nHow strange was it when Jack was being sick on the court and trying to stay focused on your own game? Is that even weirder when it's a good friend of yours who's going through a hard time?nnSinner :nYeah, as I said already, we have a good friendship. We know each other quite well. Obviously, it's tough for him, for sure.nSame as they are a bit different to play in Grand Slams, finals are a bit different. You feel a lot of tension, it's a bit different. But it was nice to share the court with him.nHopefully, we have some more battles in the future which I'm quite sure about. He's made his breakthrough this week a little bit, playing some amazing tennis, serving very well. Physically, he has improved a lot.nHe's going to be very tough to beat in the future, for sure. I'm happy for him. Talking about today, the first two sets were very physical.nI also felt physically it was very tough. I tried to stay there in the third set, which then brought me to finish it off in three.nnQuestion :nTo follow up on that, what advice can you give to Jack to deal with that? He doesn't have as much experience as you at the high end. Do you think Jack, from what you've seen this fortnight, has the capabilities of perhaps winning a major in the next five years?nnSinner :nYeah, of course. He's ball-striking and choosing the right shots at the right time. There are some feelings you have with certain players and he is one of them, I feel like.nEveryone has his own time, way and path. I'm quite sure that he's potentially winning some big titles in the future because he's a tough player to play against. He has a great attitude on the court.nHe's working hard. These are all things together, which is great to see. He's also lefty.nIt's something different. From my point of view, also today he played very well the first couple of sets. Then after, he dropped physically a little bit.nI think we're going to see him much more from now on.nnQuestion :nCongratulations. Jack was just asked what your greatest weakness was and he said that you were too nice. What do you think of that and what do you think your greatest weakness is?nnSinner :nGoing for sure on the net. Sometimes I miss some volleys. Shot selection sometimes is still...nI feel like I can make it a little bit better. They're all some small things which make the small details what makes a big difference in high level. For sure, me and my team, we know what we have to improve.nToday maybe I should have gone a little bit more on the net sometimes. It takes time. It's not like magic.nYou have to go through certain moments. I lost matches by doing the right things. Then you have to keep working on that.nSometimes I won matches even doing the wrong things. You always have to talk with your team trying to find the right balance. I'm quite sure that I still can improve.nnQuestion :nWhat did you think of Jack's comment that you were too nice?nnSinner :nThat's not true. We know each other very well. We had a chance to play doubles together.nWe give ourselves sometimes some tactical... For example, when he has to play against certain players sometimes if he asks me I give him a couple of things trying to play against. Obviously, I know in my mind he's lefty so it's completely different.nI feel like we are both very nice off the court. We are good friends. On the court we try to play some good tennis.nI think that's also what the crowd wants to see.nnQuestion :nJannik, they're about to begin their match, the two Americans, Fritz and Tiafoe. Starting first with Taylor, what are your thoughts about the biggest strengths in his game and how you two match up?nnSinner :nBig serve. Very solid player from the back of the court. He can hit strong.nHe can hit with rotation. He can mix up the game very well. He has played a lot this year so he has a lot of rhythm of the match.nIf he wins or if Frances wins, whoever is going to be in the final, they deserve to be in the final. It's going to be a tough match in any case. If it's Frances, we just played the final in Cincinnati.nHe's a very good mover. Good serve also. He can mix up the game with the slice.nHe's coming a little bit more to the net than Taylor. It's a slightly different two players. I'm just looking forward for Sunday and then we'll see how it goes.nnQuestion :nAtmosphere, what are your expectations?nnSinner :nIt's right that the atmosphere is what it's going to be. We are in America. We are in New York playing against an American.nIt's going to be, for sure, the crowd a little bit more on their side. It's normal. It's like when I play in Italy.nIt's a bit the same. I'm going to accept that. I have my team and my people who are close to me.nIn my mind, I know that there are many people watching from home from Italy. I just take some support from them.