"If I see something Carlos is doing great, why should I not try it? The same with Novak and everyone else": Jannik Sinner keeps learning from rivals Alcaraz and Djokovic

Jannik Sinner made an emphatic start to his campaign at the Indian Wells Masters with a dominant 6–1, 6–1 victory over qualifier Dalibor Svrcina, before reflecting on his performance, preparation and mindset during a courtside interview with Tennis Channel.

The reigning Wimbledon winner was in complete control throughout the one-sided contest, adapting well to the cooler evening conditions in the Californian desert. “Every day is very different here,” Sinner said on Tennis Channel. “Yesterday it was very warm. Today it was a bit colder, but there was mostly no wind, so everything changes a little bit. But I’m very happy with how I reacted.”

Despite the comfortable scoreline, the Italian stressed that facing a qualifier can present its own challenges. “Playing against a qualifier is never easy,” he said. “He had already played a couple of matches here. He was in rhythm and had some great wins. So I’m very happy about today’s performance, and now we’ll see what’s coming.”

The 24-year-old admitted he was pleased to return to the prestigious event after missing the tournament last year, highlighting the importance of the so-called “Sunshine Double” in the build-up to the clay-court season.

“I definitely missed it,” he explained. “The Sunshine Double is very important for me because it’s the last set of tournaments before the clay season. I’m very happy to be back here.”

Sinner also praised the atmosphere at Indian Wells and the passion of the fans. “I see the passion of the crowd. They love to see great energy on court. Hopefully I can bring a little bit of a show,” he said.

Off the court, the world No.1 revealed that the past week and a half had been filled with demanding preparation. “We worked very much in the past one and a half weeks – very long days, two sessions a day. It was very, very physical,” he said. “So I’m very happy with how I’m feeling at the moment. We practise for moments like this, to step back on court and try to play some good tennis.”

Physical conditioning has been a key focus of Sinner’s development, though he emphasised that modern tennis requires a balanced approach. “For us tennis players it’s important to have great mobility but also to be quite explosive, and you have to play for a very long time,” he said. “There’s a lot of prevention work also, so it’s not only one part.”

He added that adjustments are often made depending on the surface, particularly ahead of the clay season. “When you go into the clay courts, the upper body has to get a little bit stronger because you might play more balls above the shoulder, so you need more strength in your shoulders,” Sinner explained.

However, beyond the physical side, Sinner believes discipline and mentality remain the most important ingredients behind his success.

“For me, the most important thing is discipline, because discipline gives you a good mindset,” he said. “That’s what brought me success in the past, and then you just try to keep going.”

The Italian also spoke about learning from rivals on the tour, including Carlos Alcaraz, Novak Djokovic and Alexander Zverev. “When I had the chance to practise with the Big Three, I always tried to get small details from each of them,” he said. “And I do the same now. If I see something Carlos is doing great, why should I not try it? The same with Novak and everyone else.”

He believes constant improvement is essential in a sport where rivals are always evolving. “If you just stand still, then everyone is catching up,” Sinner said. “You have to be honest with yourself and understand that there is always room to improve and do better.”

Ultimately, his long-term ambition is simple: to maximise everything he has as a player. “I want to finish my career saying that I maximised my potential,” he added. “So let’s see what’s coming.”

Reflecting on the start of the new season, Sinner revealed that illness disrupted parts of his off-season, though he now feels fully recovered. “I had a very good offseason and we practised a lot,” he said. “I got sick around Christmas and then again before going to Australia. But now I feel like I have recovered again.”

“For me the most important thing is that mentally I feel good. So I’m looking forward to competing and doing what I love.”