Sinner says World No.1 can wait: “That’s my goal for next year”
After an outstanding season that brought two Grand Slam titles from four finals, Jannik Sinner feels ready to contend at the Rolex Paris Masters despite his deep run in Vienna.
Jannik Sinner, Vienne 2025 | © Zuma / PsNewz
Jannik, it was a quick turnaround from Vienna, where you cramped in the final. How are you feeling physically now?
Jannik Sinner: It wasn’t the same issue as in Shanghai, just normal fatigue. I played five days in a row. The final was really physical, and these things can happen. The body feels good now, maybe a bit tired, but not worried at all. I recover better each day. Tomorrow is my first match here, and I’m focused on starting strong and building from there. Physically and tennis-wise, I feel in good shape.
How important is it for you to finish the season as world No.1? It’s mathematically still possible.
Jannik Sinner: No, honestly it’s impossible this year. It’s not in my hands anymore. That’s something I can aim for next season, but not right now. What matters is that we’ve achieved incredible things this year already. I just want to finish in the best way possible. If something more comes, great. If not, I’m already very happy with how far we’ve gone. December will be crucial for me again, because that’s when we can make important adjustments and prepare for a strong start next year. I’m relaxed, proud of this season, and curious to see what’s next.
You said finishing the year No.1 is impossible. Is it also impossible to reconsider your decision not to play the Davis Cup?
Jannik Sinner: No, that decision is made, and I’ve already said everything I needed to say about it a few days ago.
How do you find the new site of the Rolex Paris Masters?
Jannik Sinner: It’s great to see all these changes. This and Cincinnati are probably the tournaments where the improvements have been the biggest. The facilities are better for everyone – larger spaces to eat and relax, an amazing gym area, and two courts that feel really high quality. The center court is bigger, the setup much more comfortable. You can feel the effort behind it, and I think all players appreciate that. We feel better here, and that helps the tournament grow.
You mentioned the court surface. How do you feel about the slower conditions this year?
Jannik Sinner: For me, it’s a slightly different surface, but I wouldn’t say it’s slow. It’s quite clear, not unpredictable. I practiced for half an hour yesterday and about an hour today, so I’ll have a better idea after the first match. But overall, I like it. It’s a surface where, if you play good tennis, you’ll get rewarded.
What does it mean emotionally to look back on such a consistent, successful season?
Jannik Sinner: It’s been an amazing season – really consistent, lots of wins. One of our main goals was to go deep at Wimbledon, and we couldn’t have done better. So if I have to choose one special moment, it’s definitely winning Wimbledon. But making four Grand Slam finals also shows how strong and steady we’ve been all year. Turin is another exciting goal now, because last year was an incredible run there (he won without losing a set, editor’s note). I’ll try to prepare well again. And here in Paris, it’s a tournament where I never played great in the past, so I hope to change a few things this time. The season’s not finished – there’s still a lot to play for.
