Sinner: "If I see that Alcaraz does something very well, why not try it?"

Pedro de Pablos | 8 Mar 2026 | 17.56

Streaming M25 Sharm El Sheikh live tennis

🎾 Jannik Opitz vs Mattias Southcombe

Sign up with Bet365 here
Make your first deposit of at least €5
Go to the “Live” section and watch every match

Watch the match on Bet365

Jannik Sinner made his debut at the Indian Wells 2026 Masters 1000 with a resounding victory over Dalibor Svrcina. Despite some uncertainties following his defeats at the Australian Open and ATP Doha, the Italian tennis player has shown that he remains firm in the process of changing his style, and he looks at other players to continue improving.

In an interview with Tennis Channel, Jannik Sinner confessed that he wants to maximize his potential to enhance his tennis, and for that, he looks to other players as a reference, such as Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic. After a start to 2026 where some doubts arose, the ATP ranking number two revealed that he is feeling good both physically and mentally, and he is coming back strongly to achieve a good result on a tour he couldn't participate in 2025 due to a ban.

"I also took the 'Big Three' as a reference to improve. I tried to pick up small details from each of them, and I do the same with Alcaraz. If I see something he is doing very well, why not try it? I do the same with Novak and everyone else. I saw Zverev playing much more aggressively, for example. Everyone tries to improve, and if you stagnate, everyone rises. You have to be honest with yourself, and I want to end my career saying that I maximized my potential," he confessed.

Jannik Sinner talks about how he feels heading into the Indian Wells Masters 1000

Regarding the first Masters 1000 of the season, Sinner discussed the meteorological challenges that come with it. "I feel like every day in Indian Wells is very different. Yesterday was very warm, today was a bit colder, but overall, there hasn't been wind. Everything changes a bit, but I am very happy with how I've reacted. Obviously, playing against a qualifier is never easy. He has already played a couple of matches here and came with rhythm. I am very happy with today's performance, and now we'll see what comes next."

"Last year, I missed Indian Wells and Miami, two very important tournaments for me, just before the clay court swing. I am very happy to be back here. I see the passion of the audience. I love seeing great energy on the court, so I hope I can gradually show my level. I am trying to maximize my potential a bit. We have worked hard in recent weeks. Two sessions a day. It was very physical. I am very happy with how I feel at the moment; we practice for moments like this," he said in relation to the ban that prevented him from playing here last year.

Jannik Sinner reveals what he has been working on for Indian Wells

Since Doha, where he lost to Jakub Mensik in the quarterfinals, Sinner has been working hard to return in the best possible form and close the gap on Alcaraz. "I am very good physically, but I am not working on anything specific. For tennis players, it is important to have great mobility but also be quite explosive. Obviously, when you get into tennis, the upper body has to be a bit stronger; you have to have more strength in your back. For me, the most important thing is to have good discipline because discipline gives you clear thinking. This is what has led to my success in the past."

Despite starting the year with some discomforts that he has chosen not to disclose, he is currently content with his form. "I am in a good mental state, and I also have a couple of friends here supporting me, which helps me a lot. I had a very good rest period. I had discomforts around Christmas and before going to Australia, but now I feel good. In Australia, it was just one match with some issues. If I feel good mentally, that is the most important thing for me. I am looking forward to competing, doing what I love, and that's all," he concluded.

So far, this physical and mental well-being has translated to the court, where he appears much more aggressive and eager to continue evolving his game to regain the world number one position. It's normal to have weeks of doubt in a game-changing process like Sinner's, but the key is how he is handling it philosophically. In the third round, he will face Denis Shapovalov, a litmus test to gauge his current level.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Sinner: "Si veo que Alcaraz hace algo muy bien, ¿por qué no intentarlo?"