The Italian is happy after reaching the great goal in a Grand Slam: “Behind it there is a lot of work and as many hours on the field”. Friday the semifinal against Djokovic
– london
“It will be the biggest challenge of my career”. Jannik Sinner has just become the 3rd Italian ever in the semifinals at Wimbledon, beating the Russian Roman Safiullin 6-4 3-6 6-2 6-2, but in his mind there is it is obviously already the big match on Friday, when Novak Djokovic will be on his way. The blue also has the talisman to exorcise the phenomenal Serbian: pasta with tomato sauce to cook the night before the match. “So far he has done quite well” he says with a smile in the Wimbledon cinema press room.
challenge
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Sinner, if he could, would probably play Djokovic even now, with that quarter-final last year making up two sets to cancel. “First of all you have to go on for two sets – he jokes, before getting serious -. It will be a completely different match from last year: he knows me a little better and I know him a little better. Compared to last year I have improved, becoming physically stronger and knowing how to stay on the pitch for several hours. And mentally I’m different too, knowing that now I’m also a top 10 player, one who starts as a favorite in most tournaments and up to a certain point in slams. I play even better than back then, there are shots I can make almost without thinking. It will be a tactical match and also a mental one, playing against Novak at this level of a slam. But I’m happy: I’ll fight for every ball, I’ll try to enjoy the moment knowing that I still have to give my all to try and beat him. There will be two days off, I’ll have to use them to work on a couple of things that I’ll need in the next match.” Up front Sinner will not only find the opponent who stopped him a year ago, but also a tennis monument that is chasing the umpteenth triumph of his legend. “Nole won 23 Grand Slams, he won in Australia, in Paris. He is a phenomenon. It will be tough, but obviously I want to try – assures Sinner -. Last year I played a good game against him and I learned a lot from him. I will stay true to who I am, trying to play the way I know how. And we will see how he goes ”.
first time
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However, the thought of Djokovic does not make Sinner forget that Friday will be his first semifinal in a Grand Slam tournament, his best career result after the 3 quarterfinals played last year. “I’m happy to do it here, because the grass was a surface on which I struggled at the beginning and where I feel great now. It’s a semifinal, it’s important. I know I’ve broken records – he says referring to being the youngest Italian ever in the semifinals of a slam – but they don’t interest me. I did it for me, not for records. I work to follow my path, to experience positive emotions that keep me going”. So far they have made it to the semifinal of Wimbledon against Djokovic. Sinner hopes they are enough to go even further.
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