NewKerala.com

Sinner Stages Epic Comeback, Reaches Miami Open Quarterfinals

Jannik Sinner advanced to the Miami Open quarterfinals with a hard-fought 7-5, 7-6(4) victory over American Alex Michelsen. The Italian staged a crucial comeback from 2-5 down in the second set to force and ultimately dominate a tie-break. Sinner credited his serve for the win but acknowledged the need to improve his baseline game for the later rounds. With this victory, he extended his remarkable streak of consecutive sets won in ATP Masters 1000 events to 28.

Key Points: Jannik Sinner Advances to Miami Open QF with Comeback Win

  • Came back from 2-5 down in second set
  • Extended ATP Masters 1000 set-win streak to 28
  • Won 90% of first-serve points
  • Set up quarterfinal vs. Frances Tiafoe
2 min read

Sinner's late surge helps Italian reach Miami Open QF, keep brilliant ATP Masters 1000 streak alive

Jannik Sinner beats Alex Michelsen in a comeback thriller to reach the Miami Open quarterfinals, extending his ATP Masters 1000 streak.

"I felt like the serve helped me quite a lot today, especially in important moments - Jannik Sinner"

Miami, March 25

The world number two Italian tennis sensation Jannik Sinner made it to the quarterfinals of the ongoing Miami Open, making a late comeback against home favourite Alex Michelsen in a gripping contest.

On Tuesday, Sinner beat Michelsen 7-5, 7-6(4) at Hard Rock Stadium, coming back from being down 2-5 in the second set, went into a tie-break, and then completed a win after one hour and 42 minutes. He also kept his happy ATP Masters 1000 events streak going, making it 28 successive set wins in a row, a record-extending effort.

"I felt like the serve helped me quite a lot today, especially in important moments and in the tie-break, so I'm happy about that," said Sinner as quoted by ATP's official website.

"At the same time, I know that if I want to go far in this tournament, I have to improve from the back of the court. Tomorrow is a day off, which helps me, and I will try to find a good rhythm in the practice session. Then we will see how things go," he said.

"It is completely different conditions to last night, so I am happy with how I fought. It was very close. A very close match against Alex. He is a tough opponent, so I'm very happy," he added.

Sinner won 90 per cent of his points behind his first serve during the win and would be aiming to produce a dominant show against 19th seed Frances Tiafoe in the quarterfinal.

The Italian said that he did not feel he played his best tennis during the match, so "he tried to find a way through."

"I know myself a little bit better now, so I know that every day can be a little bit different," he added.

Despite Sinner's class, nothing could stop Michelsen from producing some magic. When the American was serving at 5-3, Sinner capitalised to break back and kept hopes of a 14th successive straight sets Masters 1000 win alive. Michelsen managed to take things into a tie-break, where Sinner dominated proceedings by winning six out of the next seven points to seal the match.

With this win, Sinner's head-to-head record against Michelsen is 3-0. The 24-year-old Italian is the third man to reach the quarter-finals in all of his first five Miami Open appearances, joining Yannick Noah and Stefan Edberg.

- ANI

Share this article:

Reader Comments

S
Sarah B
His serve was on fire today - 90% points won behind first serve is just insane. That's the weapon that gets you out of trouble. Hope he can go all the way in Miami!
A
Ananya R
Respect to Michelsen too for pushing him so hard. But Sinner's class and experience showed in the tie-break. 28 successive set wins in Masters 1000 is a ridiculous record! 🤯
R
Rohit P
He's so humble in victory. Saying he needs to improve from the back of the court even after winning. That's the mindset of a true champion. We need more Indian athletes with this kind of self-awareness.
M
Michael C
To be fair, while the comeback was impressive, he did get a bit lucky. Michelsen had chances to close it out. Sinner will need to be sharper against Tiafoe, who can be very dangerous on his day.
P
Priya S
Joining legends like Edberg and Noah with that quarterfinal stat at just 24 years old! The future is so bright for him. Hope he wins a Grand Slam this year, he deserves it. 🏆

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

Leave a Comment

Minimum 50 characters 0/50