“I knew in my mind that…” Jannik Sinner reveals reasons behind his physical struggles during his Australian Open fourth-round against Holger Rune
Jannik Sinner defeated Holger Rune 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 6-2 to secure his spot in the 2025 Australian Open quarterfinals, marking his 10th Grand Slam quarterfinal appearance.
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Jannik Sinner (Image via X)
Jannik Sinner staged a remarkable physical recovery on Monday (January 20) to advance to the quarter-finals of the 2025 Australian Open. The Italian ace fought hard despite a good display from his opponent, Holger Rune, under the 32-degree heat in Melbourne to ensure he continues with his 17-match winning streak at the tournament.
The World No.1 had been playing excellently in Melbourne and had dropped only one set heading into his fourth-round tie against Rune. Surprisingly, he skipped practice before stepping into the court against the Danish star. After winning the first set by outclassing Rune, he struggled with physical conditions which allowed his opponent to win the second set.
In the third set, the Italian called for a medical timeout, during which the tournament doctor took his pulse. He then stepped back to the court to take a 2-1 lead over Rune, who began to struggle physically. Sinner then unleashed a thunderous serve that broke the metal ring affixing the bottom of the net, which led to a 21-minute delay, as it had to be repaired.
However, Sinner finally saw off Rune 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 6-2 to book his place in the 10th Grand Slam quarter-finals of his career. After the match, he revealed that he struggled in the match but with the help of the doctor; he was able to overcome.
This morning was strange. I didn’t even warm up today. I knew in my mind that I would struggle. Game wise, I played well, served well and hit some quality shots that gave me confidence to fight. It (the doctor) helped me. It shows that this tournament has an excellent organization. They really take care of the players.
Jannik Sinner said
Sinner on his medical struggles.
— José Morgado (@josemorgado) January 20, 2025
"This morning was strange. I didn't even warm up today. I knew in my mind that I would struggle. Game wise I played well, served well and hit some quality shots that gave me confidence to fight."
Good words to the doctor. "It helped me. It shows… pic.twitter.com/qX7LW1yEgn
With the latest victory, Sinner has improved his head-to-head record against Rune to 3-2.
Jannik Sinner full of praise for Holger Rune after his victory against the World No.13
Despite the physical conditions during Jannik Sinner‘s match against Holger Rune, the Italian star still played good tennis. He won 83 percent of his first serve points to Rune’s 66 percent. He was also tidier from his baseline, hitting 35 unforced errors compared to Rune’s 54 in the fourth-round tie.
Sinner was full of praise for the Danish star, who has struggled in recent months to get to the heights he set in the 2022 season. The World No.1 also admitted that Rune has improved a lot in his game.
He’s a very aggressive tennis player, he also knows how to play against me. We know each other quite well now. We know what to expect. He has improved a lot recently, so you have to expect the unexpected. He has great talent. I’m happy to have stayed strong and capitalized on the opportunities.
Jannik Sinner said
Sinner will await the winner between Alex de Minaur and 20-year-old Alex Michelsen to know his quarter-final opponent. The World No.1 has a 9-0 head-to-head record against de Minaur.
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Victor Okechukwu
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