Top seed Jannik Sinner staged a remarkable mid-match physical recovery Monday to advance to the Australian Open quarter-finals after seeing off Holger Rune 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 6-2.
The World No. 1, who skipped practice before today’s match and consulted the tournament doctor before stepping on court, next faces the winner of Australian No. 1 Alex de Minaur and 20-year-old American Alex Michelsen.
“I think we saw that today I was struggling physically,” Sinner said in his post-match media conference. “Came here as late as possible. I knew that it was going to be very, very difficult today. You know, playing against a tough opponent, but also playing against myself a little bit.”
The reigning Nitto ATP Finals champion, who appeared to be limping at some points of the match, dismissed suggestions that he was carrying an injury.
“When I’m not feeling well on court, sometimes I tend to walk a little bit on the left. But, no, injury-wise I have nothing. Just health-wise a little bit struggling, but I’m good with injuries.”
Struggling in Melbourne’s 32 degree heat, Sinner called a medical timeout – during which the tournament doctor took his pulse – after two gruelling service games midway through the third set.
At the previous change of ends, following a draining 10-minute game in which he saved three break points, Sinner sat on his bench holding an ice towel to his face as his right hand twitched uncontrollably.
Sinner won 83 per cent of first-serve points to Rune’s 66 per cent according to Infosys Stats. He was also tidier from the back court, hitting 35 winners and 35 unforced errors compared to Rune’s 31-54 mark. Rune, No. 13 in the PIF ATP Rankings, has clipped 83 winners in his third-round win over Miomir Kecmanovic.
“Of course, the time of the court with me and the doctor, we talked a little bit. It helped me today, and it also shows that this tournament has great organisation,” Sinner said.
Sinner improved to 3-2 in his Lexus ATP Head2Head series with Rune.
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