M1000 MIAMI OPEN. By Emiliano Naftali
Jannik Sinner advanced to the round of 16 after staging an incredible comeback against Dutchman Tallon Griekspoor (26), winning 5-7, 7-5, and 6-1 in two hours and 23 minutes. The reigning Australian Open champion struggled in the first set and couldn’t quite find his rhythm, but after a brief rain delay in the middle of the second set, he stepped up his game and turned the tide.
A semifinalist at Indian Wells, where Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz (2) ended his streak of 19 consecutive victories, Sinner will face the winner of the match between American Martin Damm (204) and Australian Christopher O’Connell (66) in the next round. It’s worth noting that the Italian was a finalist last year in Miami, where he fell in the title clash against Russian Daniil Medvedev.
Additionally, the support from the crowd for Sinner, especially considering his youth, was palpable throughout the match, adding to the electrifying atmosphere of the encounter.
Photo by Gabriel Matteazzi