Jannik Sinner is gearing up for the grass-court season as he prepares to compete in Halle ahead of Wimbledon, the third Grand Slam of the year. But the sting of his five-set defeat to Carlos Alcaraz in the Roland Garros final still lingers.
The Italian, currently ranked No. 1 in the world, was just one point away from claiming his first French Open title. Leading 40-0 and holding three championship points, Sinner saw the match slip away as Alcaraz mounted a comeback to secure his fifth Grand Slam title.
Speaking to the media ahead of his opening match in Halle on Wednesday, June 18, against either Alexandre Muller or Alexander Bublik, Sinner admitted the loss has been hard to shake — even costing him sleep.
“Often,” Sinner said when asked if he had “mourned” the missed opportunities in his mind. “It happens. I don’t know how it will look in the future. I think that it is not the most important thing, but I nevertheless try to forget the negative things and see what I can do here [in Halle]”.
“I think that for me to play another tournament is positive, because every match is a new beginning, and I must be mentally ready to give my all on the court,” he continued. “Therefore, it is great I can be here in Halle. But yes, I had already a few sleepless nights, but I think every day it gets better”.
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Sinner finds comfort in family
While processing the disappointment, Sinner credited his close-knit support system for helping him move forward. Spending time at home with family and friends offered a welcome sense of normalcy.
“My family stand behind me, and my friends,” he said. “That is the most important thing for me. Tennis is important in my life but nevertheless are family and friends more important. Nonetheless I think often about the match”.
“I was very relaxed with my family. We grilled a bit, played table tennis with my friends,” Sinner added. “Really normal things, nothing special. I like going home, when a lot is going on. I feel safe at home and with my friends. They know how I am, and how I was before. They know me very well”.
