Jannik Sinner Assess His Level on Clay After Breezing Into Roland Garros Quarterfinals

Jannik Sinner has made it to two consecutive French Open quarterfinals and will next meet Alexander Bublik, who knocked out Jack Draper.

Jannik Sinner Assess His Level on Clay After Breezing Into Roland Garros Quarterfinals

Jannik Sinner (Image via X/The Tennis Podcast)

The clay is not Jannik Sinner‘s favorite surface, but he has been producing impressive performances on it. After demolishing Jiri Lehecka, the Italian youngster knocked out Andrey Rublev 6-1, 6-3, 6-4 to move into the French Open quarterfinals for the third time.

Sinner arrived in Paris after his defeat to Carlos Alcaraz in the final of the Italian Open, the home tournament where the 23-year-old made his comeback after his three-month doping ban. But even though the surface was clay where Sinner has won just the 2022 Umag Open, he didn’t drop a set until the semifinal against Tommy Paul.

He hasn’t yet dropped a set at the French Open as well. Following his victory over Rublev, Sinner was asked at the press conference if he feels strong and confident on the red dirt too as he does on the hard courts, where the three-time Grand Slam champion has lifted 17 trophies. Sinner said he has always worked to improve his level on clay, and that he’s happy to make another deep run in the clay-court Major.

I don’t think we can compare one or two tournaments with the results I have on hard courts, no? But of course, I feel like I have improved from last year. I feel like the level is a little bit better. This should be my goal, no? The results, some tournaments can be good. Some maybe not there.

Last year at the French Open, Sinner progressed to the semifinals where he lost a thrilling five-setter to eventual winner Alcaraz. The first time he made it to the French Open quarterfinals was on his debut back in 2020, where eventual winner Rafael Nadal ended his campaign.

The win over Rublev was his 72nd-match win at a Grand Slam tournament. He has also become the fifth youngest man in the Open Era to advance to six consecutive quarterfinals in Grand Slam events. Sinner is now on an 18-match winning streak in Majors as before the French Open, he won the Australian Open and last year’s US Open.

Andrey Rublev calls Jannik Sinner the favorite to win the French Open ahead of Carlos Alcaraz

Jannik Sinner, despite his meagre title tally on clay, is a heavy favorite to win the French Open. His rival Carlos Alcaraz, however, has an edge, given that he is a 10-time titlist on the surface and is playing the tournament as the defending champion.

Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner
Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner (Image via X/Giovanni Pelazzo, Carlos Alcaraz)

The Spaniard also has a 7-4 head-to-head lead over Sinner and has defeated him in the last four matches. But according to Andrey Rublev, his fourth-round opponent is more favorite to win the clay-court Grand Slam than Alcaraz.

Of course, Sinner is the favorite, he is the number one in the world. Alcaraz is number two and the second favorite, and the number three seed will be the third favorite.

Andrey Rublev said at the press conference

Sinner has now taken a 7-3 head-to-head lead over the Russian. He will next be locking horns with Alexander Bublik, who came from a set down to knock out reigning Indian Wells champion Jack Draper.

Sinner and Alcaraz are seeded first and second in a Grand Slam tournament for the first time and will meet if they both reach the final. Alcaraz, after an entertaining fourth-round clash with Ben Shelton, has set up a quarterfinal match against Tommy Paul.

But before reaching his first Roland Garros final, Sinner will have to deal with Bublik, after which, he could set up a blockbuster semifinal match against 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic, with whom, he has tied the head-to-head record to 4-4. The Serb is chasing his fourth French Open title and has a tough challenge in the quarterfinals in the form of last year’s runner-up Alexander Zverev.

Also read: Daria Kasatkina Surprised at How Fast Mirra Andreeva Has “Grown a Lot” After Losing to the Teenager at the Roland Garros