Sinner confident despite lack of grass court preparation
World number one Jannik Sinner has declared himself "well prepared" to defend his Wimbledon title, even though he has not played a single match on grass this season. The Italian star, who defeated Novak Djokovic in last year's final, addressed the media on Saturday before the tournament begins.
"I feel good," Sinner said in his pre-tournament press conference, as quoted by the ATP's official website. "I think grass is a very different surface. You come here trying to do your best. At the same time, if you play a tournament before here, maybe it is not going the way you would like to, you come here with some doubts. If you do not play any tournament, you do not have these doubts, you just go and play."
Last year's experience boosts confidence
Sinner reflected on his 2024 campaign, where he lost in the second round of the Halle Open before going on to win Wimbledon. "Last year I lost in the second round in Halle. I came here, and I played very well. Every year is different. I try to have as much confidence as possible in my shots and in my abilities. First rounds, they're always going to be very tough. I know that mentally. We are preparing in the best possible way," he added.
The 24-year-old spent most of the clay court season competing in Monte Carlo, Madrid, and Rome, where he completed a Career Golden Masters by winning all nine ATP Masters 1000 events at least once. However, his French Open campaign ended abruptly with a second-round loss to Juan Manuel Cerundolo, as he struggled physically in demanding conditions.
Adjustments after French Open exit
Discussing his preparation since that defeat, Sinner noted, "You cannot simulate 100 per cent what you feel in a match because of the tension-wise everything going around before and after match. We did some changes. I do not say big, big changes. But I always believe in small details and small changes."
"We are happy at the moment with what we are doing. The result we are not going to see here. It is a long process. There's no magic behind. We are doing as much as we can. I am very happy with the work we did in the last two and a half weeks. Very long days. I feel well-prepared," he concluded.
Opening match against Kecmanovic
Sinner will begin his title defence against Miomir Kecmanovic, opening play on Centre Court on Monday, as per tradition. He arrives at Wimbledon with a season win-loss record of 20-4.
