Jannik Sinner said he doesn’t like press conferences; his compatriot Jasmine Paolini disagrees.
For the Italian Open champion, sitting down in front of the microphones and speaking openly about what goes through her mind is a valuable opportunity to discover more about herself.
“Press conferences are a space where I can sometimes understand myself better, talking about how I’m feeling. It’s easier when you win, of course. But in the tough moments we are more exposed,” the 30-year-old and current world No. 8 told CLAY in an interview.
“What I dislike about tennis? Press conferences. Answering the same questions all the time. I prefer to play and then leave,” said the world No. 1.
Paolini gives that moment a deeper dimension, with all its complexities.
“Imagine having a bad period in your life and having to talk about it to everybody. It’s not easy. Sometimes I agree with Jannik, but other times it’s good to say something about yourself, to make people understand you better,” added the 2024 Roland Garros and Wimbledon finalist.
Charismatic and quick to smile both on and off the court, Paolini is one of the fans’ favourites and enjoys a good relationship with her peers. The former world No. 4 says that behind the scenes, the atmosphere among players is very positive: “In the locker room there is a really nice atmosphere.”
Interview with Jasmine Paolini
— You spent many years away from the spotlight before getting to the tennis elite. How did you build that identity when no one was watching?
— Practicing, working, and I think I needed more time compared to other players to understand my game, get mature on court. But at one point I was like, okay, I can do great things. I can play well, I can play against the best players in the world. I think step by step I managed to get there.
— Do you remember a certain moment that made that click?
— I think from the last part of 2023 I started to play better. I won Dubai, which was a really important tournament for me because I was already playing good, but that tournament made me believe more in my tennis. After that I felt like, okay, I can have great results as well. Maybe that tournament was the most important one.
— What was the most difficult thing to accept and to adapt to, going from being a good average tennis player to a top star?
— Nothing negative, I guess. It was just positive things. I think it’s easier — not easy, but easier. A little bit more pressure, but it’s normal. It’s nice to be in a position where people trust you. At the same time, it’s normal that every week cannot go very well. There are ups and downs, you have to accept it and keep going.
— You are one of the most smiling players on tour, everyone recognizes that. But have you been through periods where you felt really down, really deep in a hole?
— I think everybody has. Maybe people see that I smile a lot and think it doesn’t happen to me, but that’s not true. It happens to everybody and I think it’s normal. It’s not easy to play every week, to be mentally fine every week. It’s part of life, not only of the sport. There are ups and downs. It’s normal.
— Have you ever said to yourself, “I’m sick of my job, I want to quit everything”?
— Not seriously, but sometimes, when you lose matches and you don’t feel good on court, it’s tough. But no, I think I like what I’m doing, I like playing tennis. I have to accept there are moments where I’m not playing my best, but it’s part of the journey. You have to step back. And it’s also the nice part of our sport that every week you have another chance, and a week can change a lot sometimes.
— Jannik Sinner said the other day, half joking, half serious, that he doesn’t like press conferences at all. How do you feel in that space? How is your relationship with the press?
— That’s a tough question. It’s easier when you win, of course. It’s a space where I can sometimes understand myself better, talking about how I’m feeling. But in the tough moments we are more exposed to that. Imagine having a bad period in your life and having to talk about it to everybody. It’s not easy. Sometimes I agree with Jannik. Other times it’s nice to say something about yourself, to make people understand you better. It’s a balance. Sometimes harder, sometimes easier. Sometimes you answer the same questions all the time.
— If you were a journalist, what would you like to know about players?
— Probably things like how do you think when you play matches, how you face tough moments — stuff that can be useful to me! I understand that if you say something to a journalist, it’s going to be public. It’s normal that sometimes you want to keep it for yourself or tell a friend, another player that will keep it privately . When you speak to journalists, you speak to everybody. It’s not easy.
— Two Grand Slam finals under your belt, an amazing achievement. How confident do you feel about taking that step again?
— 2024 was a great year, but last year was also a great year. I think it’s important to keep the level, to experience more tournaments like that. To make deep runs you have to play your best tennis. If your level is there more or less every week, the results will come — maybe not every week, but some weeks. It’s important to be consistent so you have the chance and you can catch it. Hopefully this year I’ll be there with my level and experience new adventures.
— A few months ago, Australian player Destanee Aiava said that tennis is involved in a “racist culture”. She also said “female players talk behind each other’s backs” and then “give a fake smile”, creating a hostile environment. What do you think about those comments? Is it like that in your opinion?
— Honestly, I think in the locker room there is a really nice atmosphere. I talk to many players and it’s nice. But these kinds of things you can also experience outside of tennis. The most important thing is surrounding yourself with good people, people you feel are genuine — and that’s true not only in tennis but in life in general. I feel good in the locker room.
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— How does it feel to be an Italian tennis player at this era? There’s so much success, so many names starting with Sinner, yourself, Lorenzo Musetti, Sara Errani… it’s a long list.
— It’s really nice, and I feel so happy to be part of it. Jannik is doing unbelievable things. The Federation is bringing tournaments, the ATP Finals, Rome is growing a lot. Many people are getting involved in tennis and that’s awesome. Having more fans who really understand tennis is really nice. Being part of this team is a privilege.
— And you are the protagonist of the photo of the year by Italian photographer Ray Giubilo. How does that felt?
— That was amazing. When I saw the picture on Instagram I was like, oh, that’s me, that’s an unbelievable picture. It was just the right moment. I’m happy that he did it with me. We’re Italian, so perfect combination.
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