Google News
Rising Italian star Jannik Sinner was thrilled after surviving a tough Marseille first round clash and avoiding third consecutive first round losses. Sinner, who lost in the first round at the Australian Open and Montpellier, beat Gregoire Barrere 7-6 (3) 6-7 (5) 7-5 to reach the Marseille round-of-16.
“For me today was a very important match, to be honest, I lost first round in Montpellier, and I didn’t play Rotterdam because I had a physical issue,” Sinner said, per Tennis Majors. “Coming here, trying to play good tennis.
When I felt better physically we practiced well. We had a quite tough week, the week before”. Sinner plays next against Frenchman Hugo Gaston. “My mentality, I’m trying to win match after match,” he said.
“Sometimes you can get a little bit nervous, a little bit stressed, which sometimes, emotions have to go out of you, I don’t think it’s right to always be calm, sometimes you have to go out, maybe scream or whatever”.
Sinner not feeling pressure
After an outstanding 2020 season, world No. 34 Sinner insists he is not feeling pressure to back up his results from the past year. “I think the most important thing for a tennis player is the racquet, it’s important to take care of the racquet, but sometimes a scream or whatever, sometimes it’s important to come back, trying to come back in the match, and today I’ve done that.
I don’t think it’s something I would do always, but you know sometimes I have to do that as well,'' Sinner said. “No, I will not say pressure. Because pressure is on my side because I want to improve and I want to play better tennis day after day so the pressure I put on myself, so I think this kind of pressure, I’m just excited that I can play one more match here after tomorrow so that for me is the most important thing”.
