Jannik Sinner is the defending champion at the TERRA WORTMANN OPEN, the 32nd edition of the ATP500 grass-court classic. Last year, the 23-year-old South Tyrolean won his first tournament in Halle-Westphalia as the newly crowned number 1 in the world rankings. He has maintained his top position over the past 52 weeks, winning the US Open 2024 and the Australian Open 2025, among others, during this time. At the recent French Open, he failed in dramatic fashion in the ‘final of the century’ against Spain's Carlos Alcaraz - after missing three match points in the fourth set. Sinner answered questions from journalists at a press conference at the weekend. The following are extracts:
Jannik Sinner on his return to HalleWestphalia: "It's obviously a very special moment to come back to Halle, where I won my first tournament as number 1. That was simply a big milestone, something that will always have a special place in my career."
Jannik Sinner on his relationship with the TERRA WORTMANN OPEN: "I now feel at home here. I felt the trust here early on, people believed in me. I was given a wild card. I'm always delighted to be able to play in Halle again."
Jannik Sinner on the special features of the HalleWestfalen venue: "There's simply less stress around here. You sleep at the tournament site and have very short distances. You can take a breather between the hectic pace of this part of the season, when two Grand Slams take place. You have to organise your day differently here because you don't waste too much unnecessary time on long shuttles from the hotel to the tournament, for example."
Jannik Sinner on his status as the number one player in the world: "I'm obviously incredibly proud to have achieved this. I never dared to dream of it. For me, my career was never primarily about this or that place, but first and foremost about getting the best out of myself. Good results and a lot of consistency get you to the top. And consistency is the most important thing you have to bring to the tour. This stability over longer periods of time."
Jannik Sinner on his development over the last twelve months: "First of all, I'm delighted to be in this position as number one. Even though you're the hunted at every tournament, in every match. The one everyone wants to beat. I've made even more progress. I think I've become an even better player. I know my potential well now."
Jannik Sinner on missing the chance to win the French Open: "I've had a few sleepless nights. It's not easy to get over that. But it got better with every day that passed. You then have to focus on what tasks lie ahead - and also realise for yourself: You've never played as well on clay as you are now in Paris. The best way to get rid of the negative thoughts is to play another tournament. Then, quite simply, you have to perform at your best on the court again. I'm definitely mentally ready again for every match here in Halle. The first training session was still a bit difficult. But here too, the feeling gets better with every shot."
Jannik Sinner on overcoming frustration in the last few days: "I've been at home and spent a lot of time with family and friends. That's always a haven of peace for me, the home environment. It was really relaxed, we had a nice barbecue together. I didn't notice much of the tennis."
Jannik Sinner on the switch from clay to grass: "It's always a complicated phase in the season. The first grass matches are difficult, you have to be very focussed and move well. It's important for me to serve intelligently. But I proved to myself last year that I can be a good grass court player."
Jannik Sinner on the fact that he has remained at the top rank for at least a year after his first leap to number one: "I've heard that only Roger Federer, Jimmy Connors, Novak Djokovic and Lleyton Hewitt have achieved this so far. It's an honour for me to be part of such a group. On the other hand, you write your own story above all - apart from these statistics."
