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 at 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. "I also think I was not at my best, a little out of breath at some points. When you play 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 did 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 the same conditions can change the outcome in just a few days. "Overall, I'm still improving, that's for sure," Sinner added. "Playing Djokovic has made me even better. I know I have a lot of work to do."
The 22-year-old believes he needs to learn from Djokovic about his strong mentality when facing big scores. He said: "The positive thing is that my mental battle 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 61-15 matches this season, winning four titles. Since the Beijing Open, he has won 17-3. The Italian finishes the year as world number four, his highest ranking of his career. His next event is the Davis Cup Finals, where Italy will be in the same semi-final bracket as Djokovic’s Serbia.
Vy Anh
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