Sinner sees Djokovic as motivation to improve himself

Italy's Jannik Sinner said he will focus on improving his tennis skills after losing to Novak Djokovic in the ATP Finals final on the evening of November 19.

"Obviously Djokovic helped me improve and become a better player," Sinner said of the lesson he learned from his loss to the Serbian. The 22-year-old missed out on becoming the first Italian to win the ATP Finals, as well as the record $4.8 million prize money for the undefeated champion.

Sinner (right) smiles with Djokovic at the ATP Finals awards ceremony on the evening of November 19 in Turin, Italy. Photo: ATP

"Djokovic played great, especially at the back of the court," Sinner said in a press conference after the ATP Finals final. "I also think I was not at my best, a little out of breath at some points. When playing against the best player in the world , that's a big difference."

Sinner was the only player to beat Djokovic at this year's ATP Finals, in the second round of the group stage. But in the rematch in the final, the home player was completely outclassed. Djokovic dominated his young opponent, as he had done against Carlos Alcaraz in the semi-finals, to successfully defend his title in Turin, thereby surpassing Roger Federer in the number of titles won at the event for the best eight of the year.

Sinner believes that winning and losing is the exciting part of tennis, because under the same conditions, the results can be different in just a few days. "Overall, I'm still improving, that's for sure," Sinner added. "Playing Djokovic has helped me improve even more. I know I have a lot of work to do."

The 22-year-old tennis player believes that he must learn from Djokovic in terms of mental strength when facing big scores. He said: "The positive thing is that my mental strength is stronger than before. I no longer complain much after each mistake, I learn to control my emotions. That sometimes helps you make the difference."

Sinner has won 61 matches and lost 15 this season, winning four titles. Since the Beijing Open, he has won 17 matches and lost three. The Italian finishes the year ranked number four in the world – his highest ranking since the start of his career. His next event is the Davis Cup Finals, where Italy will be in the semi-finals along with Djokovic’s Serbia.

Vy Anh

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