
Sinner had 'sleepless nights' after dramatic French Open final loss
Munich: Italian Jannik Sinner said on Sunday he had experienced "a few sleepless nights" since his historic French Open final loss to Carlos Alcaraz.
Sinner, 23, tasted defeat after five hours and 29 minutes in Roland Garros' longest ever final last weekend and wasted three match points, having been two sets up.
"I had already a few sleepless nights, but I think everyday it gets better," Sinner told reporters before starting his grass season in Halle, Germany next week.
"Tennis is important in my life but nevertheless family and friends more important.
"Nonetheless I think often about the match," the world number one added.
Sinner failed to add to his Australian and US Open titles in the already legendary decider with Spaniard Alcaraz in Paris.
He returned home to Trentino-South Tyrol after the gruelling encounter on clay.
"I was very relaxed with my family. We grilled a bit, played table tennis with my friends," Sinner said.
"Really normal things, nothing special. I like going home, when a lot is going on.
"I feel safe at home and with my friends," he added.
Sinner returned from a three-month doping suspension in mid-May and now turns his mind to defending the title in Germany.
"The ball can bounce a bit funny because of the grass, and you have to serve intelligently," Sinner said.
"But in general, it is a surface on which I took a step forward last year and we will see how it goes this year," he added.
Meanwhile, British number one Jack Draper believes the rivalry between Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner will be crucial if tennis is to regain the spotlight shone on it during the Federer-Nadal era.
Last weekend's epic Roland Garros final — won by the Spaniard, who came from two sets down to defend his title in a French Open record five-hour, 29-minute marathon — enraptured audiences, pushing viewing figures to new heights for broadcaster Warner Bros Discovery.
Draper, the second seed at Wimbledon warm-up Queen's in London this week and entering at a career-high world number four, acknowledges everyone in the game benefits when the sport's biggest names are playing at their captivating best.
"I think tennis is in a really good spot in a way that the depth of it, especially the top 100, is extremely strong," said Briton Draper,who has been drawn against American Jenson Brooksby in the Queen's first round.
"Everyone is so good (but) maybe five, 10 years ago, maybe the top 10or the top 20 was a bit more stacked.
"But having those two guys especially, who were being incredibly consistent showing that level of the game, in one of the biggest tournaments in the world, and dragging more attention to the sport,that only helps them, helps players like myself, helps the game in general to keep on moving in the right direction and keep developing. — Agencies
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Observer
2 days ago
- Observer
Draper into Queen's Club quarterfinals, Mensik loses
LONDON: British second seed Jack Draper defeated Alexei Popyrin 3-6 6-2 7-6(5) to reach the quarterfinals of the Queen's Club Championships on Wednesday, while Czech eighth seed Jakub Mensik lost his temper during defeat to Spain's Roberto Bautista Agut. Draper won their only previous meeting when he beat Popyrin in straight sets earlier this year on his way to reaching the Qatar Open final, but faced a much tougher battle this time and needed the backing of the home crowd to pull him through. "There's days where I need that extra support, today was one of them," Draper said. "Tough match and credit to Alexei, it was a bit up and down but you guys helped me through that so thank you." Draper found himself trailing when the Australian broke to lead 5-4 and served out to win the opening set but the 23-year-old Briton was unfazed and won four consecutive games to take the second set. In the decider Draper held two match points with Popyrin serving, but the Australian rallied to win four unanswered points to make it 5-5. In the tiebreak, Popyrin broke first and Draper responded. The Briton made the decisive break to lead 6-5 and smashed his 10th ace of the match to earn a hard-fought victory. "My family and friends are here and I love being at home and playing in front of them so it's an emotional moment for me honestly," Draper added. Draper will face American Brandon Nakashima after he defeated British wildcard Dan Evans 7-5 7-6(4) to reach back-to-back quarterfinals on grass after his recent run at the Stuttgart Open. "My game suits the grass well so really glad to play well when it mattered today," Nakashima said. Spain's Roberto Bautista Agut serves against Czech Republic's Jakub Mensik. — AFP MENSIK MELTDOWN Mensik crashed out after his 3-6 6-3 7-5 loss to Bautista Agut, receiving a code violation warning for unsportsmanlike conduct at one stage. Mensik won the Miami Open in March, beating Novak Djokovic in the final having defeated Bautista Agut in the first round, but at Queen's the teenager cut a frustrated figure as the 37-year-old Spaniard fought back after going a set down. The Czech 19-year-old was 3-1 down in the second set and after failing to convert a break point he smashed his racket on the ground which then slipped from his hands and flew into the stands, where luckily there were plenty of empty seats. The experienced Bautista Agut now meets Danish fourth seed Holger Rune who stormed back after losing the opening set to beat American qualifier Mackenzie McDonald 2-6 6-1 6-1. The pair delighted the crowd who remained at the Andy Murray Arena for the late match with some dazzling tennis, with Rune at one stage rescuing a lob from McDonald with a through-the-legs shot from the baseline. McDonald broke twice in the first set, with the Dane doing likewise in the second where he also hit 10 aces, and Rune roared into a 4-0 lead in the deciding set to end the American's challenge. — Reuters


Observer
5 days ago
- Observer
Kubica wins ‘mental battle' to triumph at Le Mans
*Ferrari win Le Mans for third year in a row *Kubica takes chequered flag for customer AF Corse team *Ye becomes first Chinese driver to win *Porsche Penske second, factory Ferrari third LE MANS, France: Former Formula One driver Robert Kubica has long since tackled the demons of a near-fatal accident 14 years ago but Sunday's victory in the 24 Hours of Le Mans is arguably his greatest achievement yet. The 40-year-old Pole roared to victory in his bright yellow "privateer" Ferrari to give the Italian marque a third consecutive win in the most famous endurance race in the world. In a thrilling 93rd edition of the race, which saw the top four separated by just over 20 seconds going into the final 15 minutes, Kubica and his AF Corse co-drivers Philip Hanson and Ye Yifei (#83) finished just 14.084sec ahead of a Porsche (#6) driven by Kevin Estre, Matt Campbell and Laurens Vanthoor. In so doing they knocked the two factory Ferraris, who started the race as favourites, into third and fourth. "It's been a long 24 hours but an enjoyable one. Grazie mille, grazie a tutti," said Kubica over the team radio as he took the chequered flag. AF Corse's Robert Kubica, Yifei Ye and Philip Hanson celebrate on the podium. — Reuters Kubica was one of Formula One's brightest prospects when he won the 2008 Canada Grand Prix but a harrowing accident in a rally in Andorra in 2011 almost cost him his life. Trapped upside down in his car before being freed and whisked to hospital, Kubica suffered several serious injuries and underwent a partial amputation of his right forearm. "What happened was very unfortunate, but I was very lucky," he said after Sunday's victory. "It took me quite a few years, not only to recover physically but also mentally. "What happened happened and I have to accept it. One of the worst periods of my life was when my mind wouldn't accept the fact that my arm was failing." He returned to racing cars, however, winning the WRC2 championship and taking part in sports car races. In 2017 he moved back into Formula One, testing for Renault before racing for Williams in 2019. GREATEST ACHIEVEMENT But Sunday's win which made him the first Pole ever to win Le Mans tops any of his other achievements behind the wheel. "It was quite difficult to live with, but I'm happy to have achieved my personal goals," he said. "The best thing I've achieved in my life - it's nothing to do with racing - it's more the battle I won with my mind." Both of Kubica's co-drivers were also first-time winners with Ye the first Chinese driver to triumph. "I'm at a loss for words," said Ye who arrived in Le Mans at the age of 14 on an exchange programme to try and become a professional driver. "It's going to take me some time to realise everything that's happened today. Right now I feel like I'm dreaming. Maybe in two seconds I'll wake up and none of this will exist. "In China, the car industry has come a long way. When my father was my age, there were no cars on the roads, and we're talking about the 1990s. Becoming a professional driver was impossible." With three of the top four, it was certainly a good day for Ferrari but there will undoubtedly be some at headquarters in Maranello who might not be so happy. As the winning car was not entered directly by the manufacturer, but by the AF Corse team, Ferrari will not take the points for victory in the World Endurance Championship. Cadillac locked out the front row of the grid but #12 of Will Stephens, who had taken pole, had to settle for fifth with the second car (#38), featuring former Formula One world champion Jensen Button, coming home in eighth. — AFP


Observer
6 days ago
- Observer
Russell snatches pole position for Canadian GP
*Russell on pole for second year in a row in Montreal *Verstappen completes front row for rivals who collided in Spain *Formula One world championship leader Piastri lines up third *McLaren teammate Norris only seventh MONTREAL: George Russell put his Mercedes on pole position in Canada for the second year in a row on Saturday with Formula One champion Max Verstappen alongside for Red Bull two weeks after they clashed in Spain. McLaren's Formula One championship leader Oscar Piastri qualified third with Mercedes rookie Kimi Antonelli in fourth place. Lando Norris, Piastri's British teammate and closest title rival only 10 points behind the Australian after nine of 24 rounds, qualified seventh at Montreal's Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. The clash between Russell and Verstappen in Spain remained a talking point going into the weekend, with the Red Bull driver on the brink of a ban as he chases an unprecedented fourth successive Canadian victory. Verstappen, 0.160 slower than the pole time, is only a penalty point away from suspension and Russell will try to turn that to his advantage on the short run down to turn one from the start. Verstappen had no complaints about his grid position. Verstappen's teammate Yuki Tsunoda missed out on the final shootout in 11th place and will start last after collecting a 10-place grid drop for a red flag breach in Saturday's final practice. That will lift Alpine's Argentine Franco Colapinto to 11th, with his teammate Pierre Gasly alongside Tsunoda on the back row. Norris was fastest in the first phase, with Piastri second,after a brief red flag delay triggered by Albon's car shedding its engine cover and leaving debris on the track. While Albon progressed, teammate Carlos Sainz was left in 17th place — but will move up to 16th — and fuming at what he said was "massive impeding" by Hadjar. Stewards said they would investigate. Canada's only active F1 driver Lance Stroll, who missed the previous race in Spain due to hand and wrist pain, also failed to get over the first hurdle at his home Grand Prix and will start 17th for Aston Martin. — Reuters