New York: World No.1 Jannik Sinner stormed into the third round of men’s singles at the US Open with a straight sets win against American Alex Michelsen 6-4, 6-0, 6-2. With this win, Sinner captured his 50th win of the season and a tour-leading 30th win on hard courts.
Sinner was clinical on Thursday afternoon in Arthur Ashe Stadium, turning a potentially tricky matchup into a routine victory as he defeated the 49th-ranked NextGenATP star.
The top seed has enjoyed a standout 2024, winning five titles including his first major at the Australian Open. The 23-year-old Italian hit freely and forced errors from Michelsen with his weight and depth of shot to earn his second victory this month against the 20-year-old.
Sinner, who beat Michelsen in their first ATP head-to-head meeting en route to the title in Cincinnati, is into the third round at the US Open for the fourth consecutive year and will next meet Christopher O’Connell.
Sinner converted 50 percent of the eight break points he won while Michelson won only two. Sinner’s astounding 81% first serve win percentage, significantly higher than Michelsen’s 65%, was a key factor in his success. The young American served five double faults.
Sinner also outperformed Michelsen at net, winning 75% of his points compared to Michelsen’s 33%.
Sinner started relatively slowly against Michelsen, dropping serve in his first game. However, he hit with more intensity from the baseline in the closing stages of the opener, gaining the decisive break of the first set in the ninth game.
From there, the Italian capitalised on Michelsen’s lack of depth to overpower the American, who committed 31 unforced errors, to seal victory after one hour and 40 minutes.
Sinner’s best result in New York came in 2022 when he lost in a five-set, five-hour quarter-final epic against eventual champion Carlos Alcaraz.
Former champion Daniil Medvedev was far from his best but still did enough to dispatch Fabian Marozsan 6-3, 6-2, 7-6(5)to reach the third round.
Medvedev won an opening set that included six breaks of serve across nine games, with the Hungarian’s serve failing to pack a punch and the Russian’s uncharacteristically tentative serving leading to four double faults.
Medvedev was far more comfortable from there, helped by his opponent’s 45 unforced errors and catalogue of poorly-timed drop shots.
Medvedev sealed victory with a leaping backhand on match point and afterwards appeared annoyed with the muted reaction from the stands at Flushing Meadows, where he has had a rocky relationship with the crowds over the years.
Earlier, Czech Tomas Machac upset 16th seed Sebastian Korda 6-4, 6-2, 6-4 to reach the third round at the hard-court major for the first time. Italian Matteo Arnaldi also advanced, dispatching Roman Safiullin 6-2, 6-4, 6-4 to continue his impressive year.
World No. 30 Arnaldi next plays Jordan Thompson after the Australian upset seventh seed Hubert Hurkacz 7-6(2), 6-1, 7-5. Machac will face David Goffin who beat Adrian Mannarino 6-7, 6-3, 6-2, 7-6. Australia’s 10th seed Alex de Minaur overcame a potential banana skin to beat Finland’s big-hitting Otto Virtanen 7-5, 6-1, 7-6(3) on Grandstand to move into the third round. Agencies
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