By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Tuesday March 26, 2024
Jannik Sinner improved to 19-1 on the season with a routine victory over Australia's Christopher O'Connell in Miami.
Photo Source: Miami Open
Faced with an early break deficit against a player who held a 1-0 lifetime edge against him (O'Connell defeated Sinner in Atlanta in 2021), Jannik Sinner did exactly what was expected of him on Tuesday at the Miami Open; the Italian beared down, reeled off seven consecutive games in the middle of the match and cruised to a breezy 6-4, 6-3 victory over Aussie Christopher O'Connell to book his spot in the quarterfinals for the fourth consecutive year.
The 22-year-old World No.2 has a habit of making things look easy. He rallied from a set down in his second-round match against Tallon Griekspoor and made that look comfortable as well.
Confidence breeds confidence and Sinner has an abundance of belief at this stage of his season – and career – and it shows.
“I had to adjust a little bit," Sinner said of the windy conditions in play in Miami on Tuesday afternoon. "I had some chances even before I broke him, so I know that I was doing the right things. I tried to serve really solid. He made a couple of mistakes in important moments and I think today was the key.”
A first ever Masters 1000 final between Carlos Alcaraz and Sinner In Miami on Sunday looks more and more likely, but first the Italian will focus his efforts on rising 23-year-old Czech Tomas Machac, the man who took out Andy Murray in the third round. Today the Czech cruised past Matteo Arnaldi of Italy to reach his first Masters quarterfinal.
The next Italian he faces will be a bit more bulletproof, however.
At 16-3 lifetime in Miami, and with two finals under his belt (2021 and 2023), Sinner appears ready to take the next step in fast-playing conditions that favor his game more than Alcaraz's.
Jarry Tops Ruud
Chile’s Nicolas Jarry dispatched Casper Ruud to become just the third Chilean player to reach the quarterfinals at the Miami Open. He will face third-seeded Daniil Medvedev in the quarterfinals. Medvedev, the defending Miami champion, surged past Dominik Koepfer 7-6(5), 6-0 earlier on Tuesday.
Jarry saved two match points in his second-round match with Jack Draper and improved to 2-2 lifetime against Ruud.