VIDEO SHOWS: NEWS CONFERENCE COMMENTS FROM WORLD NUMBER TWO AND DEFENDING CHAMPION JANNIK SINNER AHEAD OF THE AUSTRALIAN OPEN RESENDING WITH COMPLETE SCRIPT SHOWS: MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA (JANUARY 16, 2026) (TENNIS AUSTRALIA – Editorial use only. No resales. No monetisation) 1. ITALIAN TENNIS PLAYER JANNIK SINNER WALKING IN FOR NEWS CONFERENCE AND SITTING DOWN 2. WHITE FLASH 3. (SOUNDBITE) (English) AUSTRALIAN OPEN DEFENDING CHAMPION JANNIK SINNER, WHEN ASKED IF HE WAS GOING FOR A THREE-PEAT AT MELBOURNE PARK, SAYING: "Hopefully I have a bit more control over three or five sets, but no, it's great to be back here. It's such a special place for me, and starting the season here is always very, very nice, very beautiful, and obviously you never know what's happening. So let's see what's coming." 4. WHITE FLASH 5. (SOUNDBITE) (English) AUSTRALIAN OPEN DEFENDING CHAMPION JANNIK SINNER, REFLECTING ON A DIFFICULT 2025 SEASON DUE TO THE DOPING CLOUD, SAYING "Well, you know, last year was definitely I would say a much more difficult situation, because in this year, I didn't, in this moment last year, I didn't know exactly what's going to happen, so I tried, I tried still to enjoy it when you go out on the court, but you still have it in your head, kind of, so it was difficult. I know it's tough to say, because I know the ending, I knew the kind of ending, I knew what was coming out, but at the same time it was difficult for me, but also for the family. I tried to stay with the people I really love, which at times worked very well. At times it was a bit disappointing, too, and but it is what it is, right? After that, I felt I think everything happens for a reason, and then it got me even stronger as a person. It doesn't take away the player's part. The person I've become is much more mature in a way, because I see things when they're not going in the right direction but different ways." 6. WHITE FLASH 7. (SOUNDBITE) (English) AUSTRALIAN OPEN DEFENDING CHAMPION JANNIK SINNER, ON THE THINGS HE HAS WORKED ON IN OFFSEASON, SAYING: "We worked a lot on trying to make the transition to the net. The serve, we changed a couple of things, but those small details, when you are at the top level, the small details make the difference, so…" 8. WHITE FLASH 9. (SOUNDBITE) (English) AUSTRALIAN OPEN DEFENDING CHAMPION JANNIK SINNER, WHEN ASKED IF ADDING VARIETY TO HIS GAME IS SOLELY FOR CARLOS ALCARAZ, SAYING: "No, it's not only for one specific player. If you add something to your game, the aim is to get better as a tennis player. It's not about beating one guy. It's more about feeling comfortable in every situation. That's what we tried to do in the off-season. We worked a lot physically." 10. WHITE FLASH 11. (SOUNDBITE) (English) AUSTRALIAN OPEN DEFENDING CHAMPION JANNIK SINNER, SAYING: "The season is very long, so you have to manage your body in the best possible way, also the mental. The ability to stay there always is going to be very important, but it's not only for one player. It's that you feel comfortable in many situations." 12. WHITE FLASH 13. (SOUNDBITE) (English) AUSTRALIAN OPEN DEFENDING CHAMPION JANNIK SINNER, WHEN ASKED ABOUT HAVING COACH DARREN CAHILL BY HIS SIDE, SAME AS THIS TIME LAST YEAR, SAYING: "He's very important, you know, he's the man who has control over kind of everything, he's our dad for the whole team, and it's good to have. It's good to have him. You feel in a very safe place, and it's good, so let's see what's coming for us this year." 14. WHITE FLASH 15. SINNER STANDING UP AND LEAVING PRESSER STORY: Defending champion Jannik Sinner arrives at the Australian Open a different man to the one who walked into Melbourne Park a year ago, stronger in body and mind after navigating a period he describes as the most difficult of his young career. The 24-year-old Italian was playing under the cloud of an unresolved doping case last year, with questions following him onto court and a feeling that other players were looking at him differently. He successfully defended his title but later said he had considered walking away from the game. Doping authorities ultimately ensured he had time away from the tour, giving him a three-month ban. After returning to the tour he won his first Wimbledon crown and went on to cap his most successful season with another ATP Finals title. "Last year was definitely a much more difficult situation," Sinner told reporters on Friday (January 16). A year on, the four-times Grand Slam champion said the experience had matured him, giving him the ability to work his way through other challenges on and off the court. Second seed Sinner, who faces France's Hugo Gaston in the first round, is favourite among bookmakers to win a third successive title at Melbourne Park, slightly ahead of arch-rival Carlos Alcaraz. The duo swept all the Grand Slam trophies last season and few would be surprised if they meet in the Melbourne final on February 1. Sinner was beaten by six-times Grand Slam champion Alcaraz in the last major final at the U.S. Open, and left Flushing Meadows with the goal of adding more variation to his game. He said on Friday he had been working hard on his physical endurance, tried a couple of things on his serve and worked on his transition to the net. The adjustments were not just aimed at Alcaraz, he added. (Production: Bhagya Ayyavoo)
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