"Sinner asks for more: 'If I want to go far in this tournament, I have to improve from the baseline'"
The Italian player self-criticizes after pushing himself to the limit to overcome a Michelsen who demanded a lot from him from start to finish.
Jannik Sinner always wants to take it a step further. It's not enough for him to be one of the few seeds still in contention at the Miami Open, nor is it enough to be the top favorite to win the title, especially after clinching the trophy at Indian Wells less than two weeks ago. For the Italian, it's never sufficient, as evidenced by his narrow victory against Alex Michelsen (7-5, 7-6(4)) in the round of 16.
The American stepped onto the court without any complexes. Aware that to beat one of the top two players in the world, he had to go on the offensive from the get-go, he faced Sinner head-on throughout the match.
However, it's in moments of maximum equality where the difference between the world number two and the fortieth-ranked player becomes evident. Michelsen even had a 5-2 lead in the second set, but the Italian shifted gears and turned it around to maintain his record of consecutive sets at the Masters 1000.
He achieved this thanks to his serve, which is assisting him in the tensest moments of his matches and is becoming one of his best weapons. This was confirmed in the post-match on-court interview after his victory, where he also self-criticized and acknowledged the need to step up from the baseline if he wants a shot at the title in Florida.
Jannik Sinner self-critiques his tennis after his victory over Michelsen
"My serve helped me a lot, especially in crucial moments, including the tiebreak. If I want to go far in this tournament, I need to improve from the baseline. Tomorrow is a day off, which helps. We'll try to find a good rhythm in the training session and see how it goes."
He knows when and how to elevate his game when needed
"First of all, serving well in crucial moments, learning from previous games, trying to understand what works best in decisive moments. I like to play tiebreaks at 4-4, 5-5. But today, I also had a bit of luck when serving to win the set because the sun was in my eyes; it's very, very difficult to see from that side. However, again, I'm very happy to have won today."
He overcame a tough match without displaying his best form
"The conditions were completely different from last night, so there was a big difference. I'm satisfied with my performance. It was a very even battle against Alex; he's a tough opponent, so I'm very pleased."
"Today, I didn't feel I was in my best shape, so I tried to figure out a way to come through. Now I know myself a bit better, so I understand that each day can be very different," a Jannik Sinner declared, knowing he can't underestimate any opponent if he aims to lift his second Miami title next Sunday and his first 'Sunshine Double.'
This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Sinner se pide más: "Si quiero llegar lejos en este torneo tengo que mejorar desde el fondo de pista"