Sinner confides: "I've lost my smile a bit".

After dominating Novak Djokovic in the Shanghai final (7-6, 6-3), Jannik Sinner wasn't exactly bursting with joy.

In fact, he hardly reacted at all, remaining very sober, even indifferent.

Questioned on the subject, the world number 1 explained how he managed to stay in control despite a tense context (doping affair and appeal by the World Anti-Doping Agency): "I know that this year has been very, very difficult for me because of other circumstances.

There were times when I lost my smile a little because I had problems off the court which, at times, are still in the back of my mind.

So it's never easy to play in these circumstances, but I try to make the most of it on the court.

I try to stay very calm and not make any trouble if I miss shots or have bad luck. I just try to keep pushing with the best energy I have that day.

Every day is a bit different, so I'm happy with the way I handle situations on the court.

I try to control what I can control, which is the mental and physical aspect.

But for the rest, you have to believe and try to stay calm, especially in the important moments of a match."