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You won’t believe what Jannik Sinner feels before every match despite being unbeaten
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- You won’t believe what Jannik Sinner feels before every match despite being unbeaten
Photo by Mateo Villalba/Getty Images
Jannik Sinner has been unstoppable since his loss at the Qatar Open in February.
Since then, he's gone on to claim four straight ATP Masters 1000 titles, a run that's helped him climb to the top of the world rankings.
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Sinner picked up wins in Indian Wells, Miami, Monte-Carlo and Madrid, becoming the first player ever to win four consecutive Masters tournaments.
He then opened his Italian Open campaign with a straight-sets victory over Sebastian Ofner on Saturday.
Despite how dominant he's looked lately, Sinner admits there are still times when doubts creep in.
Photo By Oscar J. Barroso/Europa Press via Getty Images
Sinner opens up about doubts following Italian Open debut win
Speaking to the media after his straight-sets victory in Rome, Sinner spoke about how he still wrestles with uncertainty before taking the court.
"Before every match, I have doubts. It's the most normal thing, and if you don't feel the doubt, if you don't feel the pressure, it means you don't care, right?
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"I'm more aware than many years ago, but at the same time, even today I go on the court, and I have my little doubts about what if this or that were to happen, but you have to manage it.
"In my opinion, doubt is connected a little bit with the pressure itself. I think each of us has doubts; it's the most normal thing.
"You also have to be aware that you know how to do certain things, and then you have to go."
Sinner's upcoming match against Alexei Popyrin at the Italian Open
Sinner's next assignment at the Italian Open comes in the form of Alexei Popyrin, a former ATP Masters 1000 champion.
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Popyrin, who hoisted the 2024 Canadian Open title, recently ended a long dry spell in Rome by clinching his first win at a Masters event since the Cincinnati Open in 2025.
The Australian star beat Matteo Berrettini in the opening round and followed it up by knocking out 26th seed Jakub Mensik.
Sinner and Popyrin have played three times before on the ATP Tour, with the four-time major champion leading 2-1 in the head-to-head.
Popyrin sealed the first win at the Madrid Open back in 2021, but Sinner has since defeated him at the 2025 US Open and the 2026 Qatar Open.
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