Jannik Sinner fought back from two sets down for the first time in his career to beat Marton Fucsovics 4-6 4-6 6-1 6-1 6-0 in 3 hours and 33 minutes on the Margaret Court Arena returning to the fourth round at the Australian Open.
Sinner avenged his previous defeats against Fucsovics, who beat his Italian opponent in two previous Grand Slam matches at the 2020 Australian Open and at 2021 Wimbledon. Sinner had beaten Fucsovics in one of their previous head-to-head matches at the Sofia Open in 2020.
“For sure the first two sets were very tough for me. I went on court with one tactic, then I had to change a little bit, going a little more to his backhand. After I broke him and I went up with the score, I felt a bit better. I think today was the key. We made a lot of work in the off-season physically, so today I was good in the last few sets”, said Sinner.
Fucsovics earned an immediate break in the first game of the opening set to take a 1-0 lead. Sinner broke straight back in the next game to draw level to 1-1, but Fucsovics earned another break at love in the fifth game. Sinner held his serve at love in the ninth game for 4-5 but Fucsovics
Fucsovics went up a set and a break in the third game of the second set to take a 2-1 lead. Sinner broke back in the sixth game to draw level to 3-3, but Fucsovics earned his second break in the ninth game to love to seal the second set 6-4.
Sinner saved a break point in the first game of the third set before cruising to a 5-0 lead with a double break in the third set. Sinner saved four break-back points to close out the third set 6-1 with a hold of serve in a nine-deuce seventh game.
Fucsovics opened a 2-0 lead in the second game of the fourth set. Sinner bounced back by winning 12 consecutive games to win the final two sets 6-2 6-0 with three breaks in the fourth set and three more breaks in the fifth set to cruise through to a five-set win.
Sinner set up a re-match against Stefanos Tsitsipas, who won their previous head-to-head clash in the quarter finals at last year’s edition of the Australian Open. Tsitsipas leads 4-1 in his previous head-to-head matches against Sinner.
Tsitsipas reached the Australian Open semifinal three times and finished runner-up to Novak Djokovic at 2021 Roland Garros. Sinner reached the quarter finals at 2020 Roland Garros and at the Australian Open, Wimbledon and Roland Garros in 2022.
“For sure I am looking forward to these kind of matches, knowing that Tsitsipas is one of the best players in the world, but I have changed a little bit my game. It’s going to be a good match. Hopefully it’s going to be a good match. As I said, I look forward to these kind of matches. This is what I practice for. We see how it goes this year”, said Sinner in the post-match press conference.
Sinner thinks that he likes to play matches at 11.00 in the morning, especially in Grand Slam tournaments.
“I like to play early matches, especially in the Grand Slams. It’s a little bit different when you know that you play around 11.00. After you have a little more time to recover. I like these kind of schedules. However, it does not change so much for me. For sure starting off the Grand Slams always with straight set wins helps a lot, but obviously every day is different. Today I had five sets, so it’s going to be tough in the next round, but let’s see”, said Sinner.
With his win against Fucsovics, Sinner has reached the fourth round in a Grand Slam tournament for the eighth time in his career. With his quarter final at last year’s US Open the Italian player has become the youngest male player to reach at least the quarter finals at all four Grand Slam tournaments since Novak Djokovic at the 2008 Australian Open. Sinner is aiming to reach his second consecutive quarter final in Melbourne.
“I have a couple of goals for this season. Obviously trying to improve every day. I am aiming for some results this year. Hopefully being part of the Turin Masters at the end of the year, but let’s see. I have just started off the season. Hopefully I can play some good tennis in Australia, then after we will see for the next schedule we have, playing indoors after. For sure I am aiming some good results. This is why we always practice for. Searching the big rounds in every tournament”.
Sinner has learnt from the defeat in the epic five-set match against Carlos Alcaraz at last year’s US Open.
“I am just trying to take out the positives. I think physically I was good in that match against Alcaraz. I obviously recovered after quite well. I showed also today, that I am ready to compete. The off-season went well. There are many things you can put together after that performance there. It was one match where it didn’t go my way, but it’s already past for me. The new season started, so hopefully it’s going to be an interesting season for me”, said Sinner.
