First Bank Open: Tennis Superstar Sinner Returns to Vienna with Good Memories

"Very positive memories. It's a tournament that has helped me a lot," said tennis superstar Sinner at a media event about his previous appearances in Vienna. "Many years ago, I started with a wildcard, won here two years ago. That's why it's a very special tournament for me." The 24-year-old will try to play tennis as well as possible. "I feel very good physically and mentally."

Tennis Superstar Sinner Shakes Off Criticism of Saudi Appearance

He takes criticism of the enormous sums awarded at the "Six Kings Slam" rather calmly. "You know why you play there, it's no secret. But you must not lose sight of why you play tennis. I have a great passion for tennis, and Saudi Arabia is a very important country for the future. They can give us a lot, also in terms of fanbase," said Sinner, who was recently rewarded with the enormous sum of six million dollars for the exhibition title in Riyadh. Sinner feels particularly comfortable indoors, confirmed this year's Australian Open and Wimbledon winner. "You don't have to think about sun, wind, and other things. The ball bounces more or less the same. My style of tennis is very well suited for indoor play," notes Sinner, who has come to Vienna with a series of 16 wins on indoor hard courts. It is the start of the indoor season for him.

"A Lot Could Be Changed"

Constantly tinkering with improvements is also a must for players of his category. "I have changed the rhythm and ball toss on my serve. At the moment, it's going well, but it's not yet a stroke where I feel so confident." Discussions about (too) slow surfaces or balls do not leave Sinner unaffected. Would he wish for more varied surface speeds? "A very difficult question. From my point of view, every tournament is a bit different, not all tournaments are exactly the same. Every year the situation is different." It depends on the temperature, the wind, and many other factors. "The tennis problem is not just the balls or the schedule, it's a bit bigger. I don't want to say too much here," Sinner didn't want to reveal all his thoughts on it. However, he added: "Logically, a lot could be changed."

High Praise from Tennis Superstar Sinner for "Teammate" Tagger

Sinner, like Austria's great female hope Lilli Tagger, is in the team of manager Alex Vittur, and he knows the 17-year-old from East Tyrol well. "She is a very big talent, has a very good team behind her with Schiavone and a super athletic trainer." For Sinner, she is a "simple woman," meaning she doesn't think complicatedly. "She goes on the court and plays, she doesn't talk much, has a good mentality, and that's already worth gold in our sport." However, he also warns about the spotlight at such a young age and the media interest. "The less impact, the better. She has all the talent to reach the top of the world. I'm sure she'll get there, but you have to see everything first. But I'm a huge fan of hers."

Tennis Superstar Sinner Enjoys Playing Against Alcaraz

Carlos Alcaraz, who has never played in Vienna before, will not cross paths with him here. But the rivalry with the Spaniard is still important for Sinner. "If we see each other on Sunday, it means we've had a great week. I like playing against him, it motivates me, you get new information every week on what you can do better." Nevertheless, he cannot simply collect the title at a tournament without the Spaniard. "There are brutally many good players in the draw here. In indoor tennis, things can go very quickly, if you don't start well, a set is already gone." The path to a final is difficult. "Even if it doesn't look like it."

(APA/Red)

This article has been automatically translated, read the original article here.