Jannik Sinner is well-liked everywhere he goes, and he’s always gracious with the media.
That doesn’t mean the 24-year-old has to like press conference. Let’s be frank here, press conferences are a part of the job that most athletes tolerate rather than embrace, and we can now be sure that Sinner is firmly in the tolerate camp.
On Sunday at Indian Wells, after Sinner defeated Denis Shapovalov, 6-3, 6-2, the Italian was asked what he dislikes most about tennis.
He didn’t hesitate.
“Press conference,” he said. “Answering always the same questions.”
Then he slowly backtracked a little, perhaps to make sure he wasn’t hurting the feelings of the reporters in the room.
“I mean, it’s not dislike. It’s just part of the job, you know,” he said.
Sinner says he’s the type of guy who likes to let his racquet do the talking, and there’s nothing wrong with that. Pete Sampras did it pretty well, and he ended up with 14 Grand Slam titles.
“I like to get out, play, and then live, you know,” he said.
Sinner, who has four majors, makes it clear that if it was up to him, he’d just play and go home.
“I don’t really have something what I dislike,” he said. “I’m doing this kind of here, media, I’m not the kind of guy who likes it. I don’t want and I don’t need to show.”
The Italian will get back on the court, where he belongs, on Tuesday night against Joao Fonseca of Brazil.