Just a week after becoming the first player ever to win the Sunshine Double without dropping a single set, Jannik Sinner is back on court–this time on a completely different surface: clay.
The Italian, despite the short turnaround, is set to compete at the Monte-Carlo Masters, returning to the tournament he missed last year due to a three-month suspension.
Sinner’s Approach to the Transition
The key to Sinner’s quick turnaround has been his ability to keep things simple and take it one day at a time—an approach that has become a hallmark of his mindset over the past couple of seasons. Speaking ahead of the tournament, Sinner said:
“Sometimes the simple stuff is the best one. So we started again on Thursday morning. Couple of practice sessions there. The first one very slow just with the coach. The second one we hit on the center court because usually you don’t have a lot of time to practice on center court. So you have to go there earlier days. So yesterday [Saturday] again, a couple of practice sessions, and today, from now on, only one, because I also need to recover physically and mentally. But yeah, movement is different, everything is different. So you need to be ready physically.”
Historically, clay has been the surface where Sinner has faced the most challenges. However, that does not mean he is incapable of producing his trademark power baseline tennis on it. In fact, the Italian was arguably the second-best player on clay last year, reaching the finals of both the Italian Open and the French Open, losing both times to Carlos Alcaraz.
A Positive Mindset Ahead of Monte Carlo
This season, Sinner is embracing a positive mindset as he prepares to compete on a surface where he has yet to win a big title.
“But I also know mentally that I can’t play good on clay. It doesn’t mean that I win. I also know that I can lose. I never won anything big on this surface. So, I’m looking forward to it, trying to put myself in the position hopefully, and then we’ll see. I mean, I cannot predict the future.”
Sinner, who is also playing doubles this week alongside Zizou Bergs, will return to court for his singles match on Tuesday against Ugo Humbert. And while he enters the week as World No. 2 without a big clay title, that could quickly change. A deep run in Monte Carlo could not only deliver his first big title on the surface but also see him return to the top of the rankings.
Main Photo Credit: Susan Mullane-Imagn Images
