"I knew how far I could go" - Sinner reflects on NextGen ATP Finals victory

Sinner defeated Tiafoe and Ymer in the group stage in Milan but lost to Humbert. However, it was the only victory for Humbert and so Sinner advanced from the first place and met the second from Group A, Miomir Kecmanovic in the semifinals.

The NextGen ATP Finals are played in a format of fast 4, where a player needs 4 games to win a set. Jannik Sinner defeated Kecmanovic 2-4, 4-1, 4-2, 4-2. In the final, he faced favorized Aussie, Alex de Minaur. However, to the surprise of everybody, the Italian defeated de Minaur in three sets and lifted the trophy in Milan.

“I was in good shape and felt well on the court, but it became less about confidence and more about executing my game plan: what I wanted to do, rather than be dictated to," says Sinner. "A crowd can give you energy, which is very important for a player, then it’s down to staying calm and not being nervous. Winning the Bergamo title [the Trofeo Perrel - Faip] early in 2019, having twisted my ankle the year before, was certainly a trigger to improve again, and once I beat Gael Monfils [at the European Open] at Antwerp in October, I knew how far I could go.”

“I never doubted myself about being a good tennis player, as I am a hard worker, but I was skinnier and smaller than I am now,” says Sinner. “I was fast and came to the net, but I needed confidence to find my level. In tennis you can win matches or a tournament, and you can also lose three or four first rounds in a row, so the decision to play at higher levels than my age was a big decision. I certainly went down the tougher route, but it helped build the expectation and pressure that I put on myself. You feel you need to win this match, or this exact point and you overdo it, but you have to understand the outcome and it’s a learning process every day.”