Jannik Sinner advances to the Miami Open quarter-finals with a straight-sets win over Alex Michelsen, staying on track for the Sunshine Double.
MIAMI: Jannik Sinner powered into the Miami Open quarter-finals, defeating Alex Michelsen in straight sets.
The Italian second seed secured a 7-5, 7-6 (7/4) victory in one hour and 41 minutes to stay on course for the “Sunshine Double”.
Sinner was made to work hard by the 40th-ranked American. He finally broke through in the 11th game of a cagey first set before serving it out.
Michelsen hit back to lead 5-2 in the second set. Sinner roared back to force a tiebreak, sealing the win with a thumping serve.
“I feel like I served very well in important moments,” said Sinner, who hit 15 aces. He will next face 19th seed Frances Tiafoe.
Tiafoe advanced after battling past France’s Terence Atmane 6-4, 1-6, 6-4. Spanish qualifier Martin Landaluce produced a major upset.
The world number 151 defeated American 32nd seed Sebastian Korda 2-6, 7-6 (8/6), 6-4. Korda had a match point late in the second set.
Landaluce, who dedicated the win to his late grandmother, next faces Czech 21st seed Jiri Lehecka. Lehecka ousted sixth seed Taylor Fritz 6-4, 6-7 (4/7), 6-2.
“I just needed to go for it and be aggressive,” Lehecka said of the third set. American Tommy Paul cruised past Tomas Etcheverry 6-1, 6-3.
Paul will meet France’s Arthur Fils, who beat Valentin Vacherot 6-4, 6-7 (4/7), 6-4. Francisco Cerundolo continued his run.
The Argentine 18th seed followed his upset of Daniil Medvedev by defeating Ugo Humbert 6-4, 6-3. He will face third seed Alexander Zverev in the quarter-finals.
Zverev booked his place with a 7-6 (7/4), 7-6 (7/1) victory over France’s Quentin Halys.