“At points, I lost a little bit of smile” – Shanghai champ Sinner reflects on ‘tough’ season

Jannik Sinner, the world No 1 from Italy, clinched his seventh title of the 2024 season by defeating 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic 7-6 (4), 6-3 in the Shanghai Masters final on Sunday.

With the win, Sinner reached a win-loss record of 65-6 in a season that has seen him triumph at the Australian Open and US Open. Also, he’s assured of a place in the ATP Finals to be held in November and the Year-end world No 1 finish.

The Italian trophy cabinet for the season includes silverware from Rotterdam, Miami, Halle, and Cincinnati as well.

During the magical run, however, there have been off-court hardships that Sinner has lost his sleep over.

“I know this year has been very, very tough for me because of other circumstances,” the 23-year-old said in his post-match presser in Shanghai. “At points, I lost a little bit of smile because I had some issues off the court, and then they’re still in my mind sometimes.”

Sinner referred to the doping scandal that he finds himself in since the Indian Wells held in March this year. Though he was cleared of any wrongdoing in the case by the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) in August, World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has brought the matter to the Court of Arbitration of Sport (CAS), seeking a ban on the Italian.

“So, it’s never easy to play in these kind of circumstances where I am in,” added Sinner, who committed 23 unforced errors in the Shanghai final. “So I just tried to enjoy in the best possible way I can on the court. And, obviously, success is something great, and then it’s nice to say thanks to all the people who are working with me daily, who knows me more than most likely all the other people.

“I just try to stay very calm, and not making any problems if you miss shots or you get unlucky sometimes, you know, just trying to keep pushing with the best energy I have in that day. Every day’s a bit different, so I’m happy how I’m handling the situations on the court.”

Sinner: “success will never change me as a person”

Sinner has reached the top echelons of tennis in just six years of turning pro, however, he believes his achievements don’t necessarily guarantee him peace of mind.

“People think that by winning or having success that you don’t have any problems, but it’s not true,” he said in the presser. “Because I’m, the situation where I’m in, obviously, it’s not comfortable, and I wish I would not be in this position where I am right now off the court, and playing freely more on the court, and trying even to enjoy it a little bit more.

“So, yeah, you take the success in a different way, and I think that’s what I learned is that the success will never change me as a person, or as a player also because next tournament I can go far again, or I could lose the first round, but it’s not going to change me as a person, as a human.”

Sinner has notably unlocked several achievements in the ongoing season, with the most recent one being the first Italian man in tennis history to win the Shanghai Masters. At 23 years and one month old, he’s now the youngest champion of Shanghai.

Also, in a few months, he will become the first player from Italy to finish a tennis calendar year as top-ranked.

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