Andrea Pellegrino tells it all after defeat to Jannik Sinner

Andrea Pellegrino, who was defeated 6-2 6-3 in the round of 16 of the Rome tournament by Jannik Sinner, explained after the match what it was like to face the world number one: “It was a little difficult at first because I came in quite tense, however, afterwards I managed to loosen up. He takes your breath away at all points. He’s a hammer, he’s there, he doesn’t give you anything.”

“There was a moment when I was really struggling because I couldn’t see a side of the court where I could hurt him. Forehand, backhand, serve, response: it’s impressive. I tried then to raise the risk and in some moments it paid off,” continued the Apulian player, who came from the qualifiers.

According to Pellegrino, Sinner’s greatest strength is his mentality: “His mentality is the thing that makes the difference with all the other players. A 24-year-old guy who has been winning for months without practically losing sets or matches … people maybe don’t realize how hard it is to compete every day in tennis. There are a thousand variables, you can wake up tired or in pain. He even in those moments always manages to bring out the best in himself.”

Pellegrino wants to follow up on this incredible week: “Just as I as world number 150 won three matches in a Masters 1000, in the same way you can lose to players much further back in the rankings. The level is very high everywhere, even in Challengers and qualifiers. I like to compete at these levels, but I don’t compete with other Italians. I think about my own path and move on.”