Jannik Sinner has established himself as the player to beat in tie-breaks.
The Italian has triumphed in 13 of his last 14 tie-breaks, showcasing his prowess during his fourth-round victory over Tommy Paul at the US Open on Monday. Sinner clinched tie-breaks in both the first and second sets, propelling him into the quarter-finals.
“I’ve had phases where I lost more tie-breaks. It’s normal, but you learn from those experiences. I always try to embrace the pressure,” Sinner explained. “Coming from skiing, where one mistake can end your race, tennis requires a different mentality. That’s why I thrive under pressure.”
Sinner has frequently delivered his best performances in crucial moments this season, including his Australian Open win in January, where he came back from two sets down to secure his first Grand Slam title.
As the No. 1 player in the PIF ATP Rankings, Sinner revels in high-stakes moments, seeing them as the culmination of his hard work in training.
“I get more excited during important points and moments. This is what we train for—to perform well in these situations,” Sinner said. “In the second-set tie-break against Paul, my serving wasn’t great, but I looked for solutions to overcome it.”
With this win, Sinner now holds a 3-1 lead over Paul in their Lexus ATP Head2Head series. The 23-year-old has reached the quarter-finals at all four Grand Slam events this season, becoming one of only eight men’s singles players since 2000 to achieve this.
Sinner is pursuing his sixth title of the season and will next face Daniil Medvedev, who leads their Lexus ATP Head2Head series 7-5. Medvedev was the last player to defeat Sinner in a tie-break, doing so during his quarter-final win at Wimbledon in July.
0 Comments