Jannik Sinner has qualified for the quarterfinals of the Australian Open, the first Slam of the year. In the round of 16 the South Tyrolean, number 1 in the world, beat the Dane Holger Rune in four sets with a score of 6-3 3-6 6-3 6-2 in over three hours of play. In the quarterfinals Sinner will challenge the winner of the match between the American Alex Michelsen and the Australian Alex De Minaur. Lorenzo Sonego also qualified for the quarterfinals of the Australian Open. In the round of 16 he beat the American Learner Tien in four sets 6-3 6-2 3-6 6-1.
The match with Rune was a physical and nerve-wracking battle, marked by Sinner’s problems who had difficulties between the second and third sets, so much so that he asked for a medical time-out after the fifth game of the third set.
Sinner, “No injury, I didn’t feel well”
Jannik Sinner was clearly affected by the heat, but in the press conference he did not go into detail about the illness that forced him to ask for medical intervention in the third set and said he was “lucky” to have inadvertently broken the net and thus enjoyed of a small respite at the beginning of the fourth set. «I was lucky – his words in the press conference – 20 minutes off the pitch (the time needed to repair the net, ed.), to try to recover physically, to put some cold water on my head, it was very useful . I was very, very lucky.” When asked about the precise nature of his ailments, the world number 1 did not want to “go into details”. «I think we saw that I wasn’t feeling well – his words – I felt a little dizzy. In terms of injuries, I have nothing, just some health problems. They were difficult conditions. It was hot yesterday and it’s still hot today – he added – I knew it would be very, very difficult. I fought against a tough opponent, but also a bit against myself”, concluded Sinner, who reaches the Slam quarterfinals for the tenth time in his career, equaling Nicola Pietrangeli as the Italian with the most fourths in the majors.