Jannik Sinner is feeling relaxed after punching a ticket to the fourth round of Australian Open 2024 with a 6-0 6-1 6-3 masterclass over 26th seed Sebastian Baez.
DRAW: Australian Open 2024 men’s singles
“I played good tennis,” the fourth seed said. Sinner dropped just 10 points on his first serve before wrapping up the win in 1 hour and 52 minutes under overcast skies at Margaret Court Arena. “I love[d] the conditions today, because [there] was no wind and no sun.
“I felt the ball great, I made the right decisions, and I used every chance I had today,” Sinner added. “I’m very happy.”
The athletic 22-year-old was in the driver's seat throughout, and squashed all four break point opportunities created by his Argentine opponent. Sinner crunched a blistering 34 winners to his rival’s 13.
The redhead, supported by the hard-to-miss Carota boys, thanked supporters both in the stadium and elsewhere.
“I played now three times at 12 [noon], so in Italy, it’s 2 in the night, so thanks also to those who are watching from home,” he said.
After a long 2023 season, which culminated in leading Italy to its first Davis Cup victory since 1976 in November, Sinner took a well-deserved break before beginning off-season training.
As part of a team decision, he decided to skip the year's first tournaments, electing to play practice matches including one against world No.11 Casper Ruud at the Kooyong Classic, before the AO.
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Sinner arrived in Melbourne refreshed and ready to go. “I'm very excited to step on the court every time,” he said. “I enjoy every moment on the court and also off the court, I think everything is going in the right way."
“I do feel confident, no? I came here with a good off-season [and] preparation…I'm just quite focused and also relaxed on the court at the moment.”
The fourth seed, who last year reverted to a pinpoint serve stance (also recently adopted by Stefanos Tsitsipas), said he’s happy with the change, partly because it gives him better rhythm.
“In the beginning when you change, it's not that easy because you do one motion more, with the feet going closer,” he said, describing the motion of drawing the back foot in to meet the front foot. “But it gives you more momentum with the serve, that you can serve a little bit faster, because the motions are a little bit more dynamic.”
Sinner said his coaching team, comprising Australian Darren Cahill and Simone Vagnozzi, works seamlessly.
“As they believe in me, I believe in them,” the thoughtful Italian said, explaining that Vagnozzi provides more tactical and technical advice, while Cahill helps with his emotional state and overall confidence.
The world No.4 was asked about his racquet on Friday, and explained that he plays with the addition of lead tape.
“This is a little bit of weight, if you put it here in the middle of the racquet, it gives you a little bit of stability,” he explained. His racquets are strung at a tension of 28 kilograms (almost 62 pounds), which he says gives him control and a little more speed.
“If not, I play here on the Kia if it’s less,” he joked, referencing the likelihood that balls could fly straight into signage behind the baseline."
Into the round of 16 in Melbourne for a third straight year, on Sunday Sinner takes on 15th seed Karen Khachanov, who earned a four-set win over Tomas Machac.
The Monte Carlo-based Sinner has won the last two of his three career meetings against Khachanov, though the pair haven’t clashed since 2021.
Since the duo last did battle, Khachanov has recorded some of his best results, including reaching the semifinals of AO 2023 and the 2022 US Open.
“We do play a little bit similar, we love to play with the rhythm, physically we both are good movers,” said Sinner. “He has improved a lot.”
“It's for sure a tough match coming up,” added the 22-year-old. “But this is why also I practice, to see where my level is, where I can find the right solution every time.”