Jannik Sinner immediately apologises after smashing opponent up close | Tennis | Sport

Jannik Sinner immediately apologised to his opponent, Alex Michelsen, after smashing him with the ball from close range. The world No.2 was competing against the American in the last-16 of the Miami Open, with Sinner edging a 7-5, 7-6(4) battle to secure a spot in the quarter-final.

Michelsen gave as good as he got during the contest, with Sinner forced to dig deep at times. But the incident occurred when the game was balancing on a knife-edge, with both players tied at four games apiece in the first set.

Michelsen had served in the ninth game, but after a short rally, the 21-year-old was unable to scoop a shot from underneath his feet, with the ball sitting up perfectly for Sinner. The Italian had the entire court to aim for, but, presumably caught in two minds, Sinner leathered the ball back in the direction it came, inadvertently hitting Michelsen on the way through.

Immediately recognising his mistake, the four-time Grand Slam winner lifted up his arm to say sorry and shouted an apology in his direction. Sinner went on to win the set before wrapping up the second by virtue of a tiebreaker. He will face Frances Tiafoe in the quarter-final, as Sinner eyes up an impressive Sunshine Double, having tasted glory at Indian Wells earlier this month.

Speaking to Sky Sports after the win, Sinner said: “I feel like especially today, the serve helped me very much, especially in important moments. Back of the court, if I’m very honest, I’m not feeling perfectly, so we try to improve.

“From yesterday and today there are different conditions, playing night is different from playing in the day, but I’m happy to fight my way through this one, it was a very tough match, he played some great tennis, so happy how I handled the situations especially in the second set.”

Before adding: “I’m somebody who is not over the moon when I win matches and somebody who throws me under the bus when I’m losing matches, it would be not fair. I try to understand my game better, this comes also by playing.

“Being at this high level of tennis for the last couple of years I know my way back and what to do. We try to improve, today was a good feedback, I know if I want to go far in this tournament I need to improve a couple of things. At the same time, quarters again and we’ll see how it goes before clay.”