TENNIS: Sinner says he is well prepared for Wimbledon heatwave

LONDON – World No. 1 Jannik Sinner said he is prepared to cope with the hot conditions expected during the second week of Wimbledon, despite struggling with extreme heat at the year's previous two Grand Slam tournaments.

Temperatures in southwest London are forecast to climb above 30 degrees Celsius after a recent heatwave that saw Britain record some of its highest June temperatures on record.

The Italian, who comes from the Alpine region of South Tyrol, experienced physical difficulties in both the Australian Open and the French Open earlier this year. He battled cramps during an early-round match in Melbourne and struggled in the Paris heat, leading to a second-round exit at Roland Garros.

Sinner, a four-time Grand Slam champion, advanced to the quarterfinals after defeating Japanese qualifier Shintaro Mochizuki, 6-3, 7-6(0), 6-3. He will next face Germany's Jan-Lennard Struff.

Asked about the possibility of playing in the hottest part of the day, Sinner said he was ready regardless of the schedule.

"I'm happy either way. I'm well prepared. We did a good preparation," Sinner said.

He added that previous struggles in the heat are behind him and that his team has worked to address the issue.

"Whatever happened in the past, it's gone already. Now we'll see if we found a solution. If not, we keep working for the next one," he said. "But in any case, the quarterfinal of a Grand Slam, the feelings are different."

Sinner said the later stages of a Grand Slam bring added pressure and attention, making mental preparation just as important as physical readiness.

"There's definitely more tension. At the same time, I'm very happy where I am at the moment. We'll see how it goes," he said.

He added that his focus remains on controlling what he can and adapting to any challenges that arise during the match. -Reporting by Shrivathsa Sridhar in London; editing by Clare Fallon/Reuters