By Richard Pagliaro | @Tennis_Now | Sunday, March 31, 2024
Jannik Sinner streaked into historical past on Miami’s onerous courtroom.
The Miami Open champion will have a good time by getting his toes soiled.
Extra: Aryna Sabalenka’s Boyfriend, Konstantin Koltsov Has Died at 42
The 22-year-old Sinner crushed Grigor Dimitrov 6-3, 6-1 in right now’s closing to make historical past as the primary Italian to win the Miami Open and first Italian to rise to world No. 2.
The Australian Open champion can also be the primary man underneath age 23 to win three titles within the first three months of a season since Andy Murray did it again in 2008.
So what’s going to Sinner do for an encore?
The brand new world No. 2 shared his one clay-court objective: Attempt to win Roland Garros.
“For positive, the principle objective is Roland Garros, sure, however attempting to work slowly into this match and attempting to play it in the very best means,” Sinner advised the media in Miami. “Earlier than I’ve Rome, for me, particularly is a extremely, actually vital match. You realize, taking part in with the house crowd, it is all the time wonderful.”
Sinner mentioned he plans to return to Monte-Carlo, the place he has an condominium, and start coaching on crimson clay on Thursday. Twelve of Sinner’s 13 profession championships have come on his favored onerous courts; he concedes “I often battle [on clay.]”
Armed with a 22-1 file on the season, and the boldness that comes from dethroning Grand Slam king Novak Djokovic in Melbourne en path to his maiden main, Sinner says there’s one other main change in his recreation.
The lanky 22-year-old Italian says he is bodily stronger this season, which ought to empower him throughout draining grime duels. Sinner’s finest Roland Garros efficiency is a 2020 quarterfinal end result. He misplaced to Daniel Altmaier within the 2023 French Open second spherical.
“I believe the largest change I’ve had is bodily,” Sinner mentioned. “We labored loads bodily within the gymnasium, and this helps you additionally on the courtroom when, in your thoughts, you can play for hours and hours after which you’ll be able to keep a sure degree.”
Photograph credit score: Miami Open/Onerous Rock Stadium