Sinner: "If you don't feel pressure, it means you don't care"

Andrés Tomás Rico | 27 May 2026 | 00.07

Sinner: "If you don't feel pressure, it means you don't care about this". Photo: Getty Images

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Jannik Sinner doesn't understand pressure. The world number one made his debut at Roland Garros 2026 with high expectations as the top favorite. With Alcaraz absent and in top form, the path is open for him to achieve the Grand Slam title. And so far, he is meeting expectations after crushing Clement Tamur 6-1, 6-3, 6-4.

Following his impressive start, he attended a press conference to analyze his debut and share his thoughts on the heatwave hitting Paris. He downplayed the pressure in the tennis world and the 'naturalness' of sliding on clay courts.

Jannik Sinner reflects on his victorious debut at Roland Garros 2026

"Starting a tournament is always very special, and playing in the night session is beautiful. He's a good competitor, so I was looking forward to this match. We had really good exchanges, so I am very pleased with today's level. As I mentioned, first-round matches are never easy, so I am very satisfied."

The night session may spare him the torment of the Parisian heat

"I'm happy to play at night, during the day, whenever they put me on. We'll see. I think I managed the heat very well in Indian Wells, which was very hot this year, and I had no problems there. We've prepared well. The heat here is different, of course, but the humidity is not as harsh as maybe in Australia or the United States. We'll see. Every day counts. Tomorrow will be a good day to get used to the heat, and we'll see when I play. But that will be a problem for the day after tomorrow, so we'll see."

Jannik Sinner, back on Chatrier 👊#RolandGarros pic.twitter.com/yBnQC7FA3x
— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) May 26, 2026

About the ease of sliding on clay courts

"Whew, it's hard to say. I think that most Europeans grow up on clay courts, so with coaches from a young age, you always try to slide. It's a great advantage if you can also slide with your left foot, for right-handers, on the backhand. That way, you cover a little less court afterwards."

"Then there are players who can't slide as much on hard courts. And there aren't many who can slide on grass. There are different scenarios where you need a certain speed to slide. On clay, it's a bit easier in a way because it's part of life. But on hard courts, it's completely different because you need a specific speed. Otherwise, you completely lock up. I never had major problems. It was always quite natural. Perhaps skiing had a lot to do with my balance. I think that's it."

Understanding pressure as something innate in tennis and life

"Pressure will always be there. It's part of us as tennis players. I think everyone has pressure in their job. You also have pressure, for example, to publish a good journalistic piece. It's normal. I try to take it very naturally. I know what kind of player I am. If you don't feel pressure, it means you don't care. I care a lot about what I try to achieve on a tennis court. At the same time, I know that if I lose, the world won't end," concludes a Jannik Sinner who is just six wins away from his first Roland Garros.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Sinner: "Si no sientes presión, significa que esto no te importa"