Lucky Jannik Sinner: candid admission after victory with Rune

Jannik Sinner admits: "I was lucky"

After his painful victory over Holger Rune in the round of 16 of the Australian Open, Jannik Sinner spoke in a press conference: "I don’t really want to talk about how I felt today. I was not feeling well and I think it showed that physically I struggled. I knew today was going to be really difficult. I was playing against a tough player and in addition, I was playing a little bit’ against myself. I knew it was going to be like this; and I tried my best to hold on. I think I made it and I am happy to be in the next round".

"I had already talked to the doctor before going on the field. He did a general checkup and it helped me a little bit,” added the South Tyrolean. “After the break I felt a little bit better when I came back on the court, my face looked better and the color had returned more normal. So they definitely helped me. You know the conditions are challenging, it was very hot yesterday, again today. All players struggle, if in addition; you are not totally healthy è even more difficult".

The world number one è was also helped by a stroke of luck: at the beginning of the fourth set one of his first serves broke the hook of the lower part of the net, causing a 20-minute stop: "They were very helpful today. No one expected something like that to happen. Usually, if the net breaks, not è in the lower part, the most important part. I was lucky today, you know being 20 minutes off the field helped me recover physically. I put some cold water on my head and è it helped. Really great luck today".

"Similarities with the match with Medvedev at Wimbledon? No the situation at Wimbledon was completely different. Tonight, before the match I slept a lot and well, if I had not set the alarm clock I would have continued to sleep. But when I got to the clubhouse I felt that I was not well. I tried to put as much energy as I could into this match" Sinner commented.