J. SINNER/C. Ruud
6-0, 6-1
THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.
Q. Casper was just in here and he described your performance as perfect as he's ever seen. He said it's 'next-level shit'. How did you feel to play that match? Have you surprised yourself at all with your level, given how early it is into the comeback, how low your expectations were?
JANNIK SINNER: It was an amazing match today from my side. Everything worked very, very well. There is not so much to talk about, no?
From the back of the court I felt very comfortable today. I had the tactics prepared, and I tried to replicate that as in the last time we played against. Was in Turin. We prepared that match in a very similar style.
Things can change, though, quickly. I had couple of points to go 3-0, but then was 2-1. If I have a small drop there, he breaks me there, it's a game-changer. But I'm happy that I handled that in a very calm way.
Again, it was a great performance. Very happy about that. But things can change quickly, no? Every day is different. Tomorrow is a different opponent. We play again in the night. But still it's a different matchup.
I always try to prepare myself in the best possible way.
Q. Can you tell us the emotions of meeting the Pope yesterday, how that came about. Was it the Italian Federation?
JANNIK SINNER: It was a bit with the Federation and everything. Amazing, honestly. I never experienced something like this. I was very honored. I didn't know exactly really what to say, no? It was a very emotional thing also with my parents there. It was very nice. It was something I will never forget, that's for sure.
Yeah, it's something else really. It's very difficult to say how it was because I never experienced something like this.
I met important people in my young life. This was just something else. I was very honored and I appreciate that.
Q. This obviously has been a pretty crazy 10 days for you coming back, the crowd support, the Pope, seeing your face pretty much everywhere in the city. How do you stay calm, the way you are now, while going through all of this?
JANNIK SINNER: I'm just happy to be here. I mean, there are no many secrets. We prepared ourself in the best possible way to be in shape here. We had a lot of doubts of how my performance is going to be because in practice sessions I had many ups and downs. You don't have the feedback of the real match.
I just came here. I'm very present person. If things goes well, I'm positive. If things don't go well, I'll work on that. Like after the match against Jesper, I stayed on court because I felt like something didn't work as I wished to. There are no secrets. Just hard work and believing in myself. That's really it. There is nothing else.
Obviously the support means so much to me. I feel very comfortable here. Trying to give some nice moments back. Italian tennis is in a great moment with Lorenzo on the other side of the semis, Jasmine making final here. There's a lot of Italy here in Italian Open. It's nice to be part of this.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports