Home favourite Alex De Minaur will face Jannik Sinner in the quarterfinals of the Australian Open after the world number eight defeated world number 42 Alex Michelsen of the US 6-0, 7-6, 6-3 in the round of 16 on Monday.
Sinner, 23, aims to defend the title he won last year before also clinching the US Open. Despite feeling unwell, the South Tyrolean continued his Australian Open title defence on Monday, overcoming Denmark’s Holger Rune 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 6-2 to secure a spot in the quarterfinals.
Physical Struggles on Court
Top seed Jannik Sinner showed remarkable resilience, recovering mid-match to advance. He skipped practice before the match and consulted the tournament doctor. “I think we saw that today I was struggling physically,” Sinner admitted post-match. “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.”
Sinner struggled in Melbourne’s 32-degree heat, calling a medical timeout during the third set. After a taxing 10-minute game, he sat with an ice towel on his face, his right hand twitching uncontrollably. Despite looking drained after treatment, he moved better as the set progressed, aided by Rune’s 16 unforced errors. Sinner clinched the third set and broke early in the fourth to reach the quarterfinals at Melbourne Park for the third time.
Sinner’s powerful first serve in the fourth set broke a metal ring affixing the net, leading to a 21-minute delay. Both players took respite from the heat during the interruption.
Having lost the second set and needing a medical timeout in the third, Sinner displayed characteristic mental strength to overcome the challenges and secure the win.
Sonego into his first Grand Slam quarterfinal
Lorenzo Sonego, Sinner’s compatriot, also reached the last eight after beating 19-year-old American Learner Tien 6-3, 6-2, 3-6, 6-2. This marks Sonego’s first Grand Slam quarterfinal appearance in his 26th main draw outing.
The 29-year-old dominated the first two sets before Tien fought back in the third. However, the young American could not sustain his performance in the fourth set. “Just unbelievable, crazy emotion,” Sonego said. “Today was really tough. I’m so sad because he had some problem and he’s not the right way to win, but I’m so happy to reach the quarterfinal. I’m high in confidence right now. I have more experience than my opponent today.”
Sonego credited his experience for the victory, acknowledging Tien’s potential. “He’s a young player, next generation. Yeah, he needs to improve, and he will play more time at this level, for sure. Today I put my experience on court.”
Sinner, Errani and Paolini Named ITF World Champions 2024
Jannik Sinner and the doubles pair of Sara Errani and Jasmine Paolini were named International Tennis Federation (ITF) World Champions 2024. The ITF awards this recognition based on results from major tournaments, including the Grand Slams, Davis Cup, Billie Jean King Cup, Olympics, and Paralympics.
For Sinner, who held the world number 1 spot for 33 weeks and won multiple titles last year, it is his first ITF World Champion title and a historic first for an Italian in singles. Errani and Paolini earned their accolade following a gold medal at the Paris Olympics and success in the Billie Jean King Cup. For Errani, this marks her fourth ITF World Champion title, with her previous wins alongside Roberta Vinci.
