ATP Tour

Sinner: 'Sleepless nights' after Roland Garros loss to Alcaraz

Even for someone as mentally resilient as Jannik Sinner, bouncing back from the disappointment of his Roland Garros final loss was never going to be an easy task.

Yet the No. 1 player in the PIF ATP Rankings believes he has already made good strides in moving on from letting slip three championship points before falling to Carlos Alcaraz at the clay major. Speaking in his pre-tournament press conference at the Terra Wortmann Open in Halle, Sinner acknowledged the pain of his loss had affected him, but said he was already focused on his title defence at the grass-court ATP 500.

“Often,” said Sinner, speaking in German, when asked if he had ‘mourned’ the three championship points he held in the Roland Garros final over the past week. “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. 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. My family stand behind me, and my friends. 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.”

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Sinner’s methods to help him move on quickly from his Paris disappointment did not involve any complex plan. Instead, the 23-year-old simply headed home to Italy to spend time with those who know him best.

“I was very relaxed with my family. We grilled a bit, played table tennis with my friends,” said Sinner. “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.

“I didn’t do much. I was relatively relaxed, and now I have been here since yesterday. The most important thing is to bring 100 per cent to this tournament. The first grass match is very difficult, but I am happy to be here.”

In the coming weeks, Sinner will hope to build on the developments he made in his grass-court game in 2024. That mission will start in Halle, where he lifted his maiden grass title a year ago in his first event as World No. 1. This year, he faces a qualifier in the first round.

The Italian arrived at the German ATP 500, renowned for its relaxed countryside atmosphere and on-site players' hotel, on Friday morning. Later that day, he picked up a racquet for the first time since his defeat to Alcaraz.

“The first practice session was OK. I hadn’t played since Paris, so my general feeling on the court were not so perfect, but I think today it will go better,” said Sinner, who is 18-2 for 2025 according to the Infosys ATP Win/Loss Index. “I think a good grass-court player can move well. The ball can bounce a bit funny because of the grass, and you have to serve intelligently.

"But in general, it is a surface on which I took a step forward last year and we will see how it goes this year.”