Jannik Sinner continued his dominant run at the Miami Open on Tuesday, defeating Alex Michelsen in straight sets to reach the quarter-finals and stay on course for the prestigious “Sunshine Double.” The world No. 2 secured his 14th consecutive Masters 1000 victory, winning 7-5, 7-6(4) against the American.
Sinner’s win also marked a significant milestone: he became just the third player to reach the quarter-finals in his first five Miami Open appearances, joining Yannick Noah and Stefan Edberg. This quarter-final appearance is his 20th at the Masters 1000 level.
The Italian faced a tough challenge in the second set, as Michelsen battled back from a 5-2 deficit, even earning a break point while serving for the set. However, Sinner rallied, ultimately taking the tiebreak 7-4.
“I felt like the serve helped me quite a lot today, especially in important moments and in the tie-break, so I’m happy about that,” Sinner said after the match. “At the same time, I know that if I want to go far in this tournament, I have to improve from the back of the court.”
Sinner will next face Frances Tiafoe, with the American currently ranked No. 20 in the world. The matchup sets up a compelling contest, as Sinner holds a 4-1 head-to-head advantage over Tiafoe, including a victory in the 2024 Cincinnati Masters 1000 final. Tiafoe’s lone win came at the 2021 Vienna semi-final, a match Sinner recalled involved excessive crowd involvement. “Un conto è quando fai spettacolo, un altro è se non c’è più rispetto. Non so cosa sia successo, ma oggi secondo me è andato un po’ oltre” he commented after that match.
Sinner-Michelsen 7-5, 7-6(4)
TIEBREAK
1-0 MINIBREAK SINNER! A stunning rally culminated in a drop shot followed by a cross-court forehand from Sinner, a low volley from Michelsen, and a decisive forehand winner from Jannik.
1-1 MINIBREAK MICHELSEN Sinner sends a forehand long.
1-2 MINIBREAK MICHELSEN Michelsen aggressively attacked the return, advancing to close out the point with a forehand from the center towards the left corner.
1-3 Sinner’s lunging forehand landed in the net.
2-3 MINIBREAK SINNER Sinner showcased his defensive skills, chasing down a shot and finishing with a winning backhand.
3-3 ACE SINNER, his ninth of the set, and 14th of the match.
3-4 ACE SINNER, down the center: making it 15 aces in the match.
4-4 Jannik’s stretching forehand at the net.
5-4 MINIBREAK SINNER: A lightning-fast winning forehand down the line.
6-4 Michelsen’s forehand sailed wide from the center towards the left corner. Two match points Sinner
7-4 Sinner closed it out with a winning serve.
You had no right, @janniksin ??#MiamiOpen pic.twitter.com/slC6KUuvjT
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) March 24, 2026
Sinner-Michelsen 7-5, 6-6
A short ball from Sinner surprised Michelsen so much that he froze and slid. He then offered a sarcastic bow, marking a memorable moment in the game. The set went to a tiebreak.
Pushups between points? Gotta love the effort, Alex Michelsen ??#MiamiOpen pic.twitter.com/c9YRB0sz55
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) March 24, 2026
Sinner-Michelsen 7-5, 5-6
Two unreturned serves and two forehand errors from Sinner allowed Michelsen to hold serve to 30. Sinner will now serve to take the set to a tiebreak.
Sinner-Michelsen 7-5, 5-5
Sinner started with his 11th ace and easily held serve. Michelsen will need to respond.
Sinner-Michelsen 7-5, 4-5
CONTROBREAK SINNER! Michelsen missed his first serve after the return, making it difficult due to Sinner’s aggressive response. Two points later, he hit a drop shot into the net (15-30). It was the worst service game of the match for the American, giving Sinner two chances to break back. He saved the first with a cross-court forehand, but Sinner broke through on the second with a powerful forehand.
Sinner-Michelsen 7-5, 3-5
Michelsen is playing with confidence, using his right hand effectively. A stunning cross-court forehand opened the game, and he closed it out with his second ace.
Sinner-Michelsen 7-5, 2-5
Michelsen won 12 of the last 14 points in a strong showing.
Sinner-Michelsen 7-5, 2-4
BREAK MICHELSEN 15 Sinner won more than twice as many points in baseline rallies, but in this sixth game, he fell behind 0-30. Michelsen painted the court with his forehand and backhand from the center, forcing Sinner to run from side to side and earning his first break points of the match: 0-40. Sinner saved the first with a serve and a forehand return (15-40). But the second was good: an aggressive return and a backhand rally surprised Jannik.
Sinner-Michelsen 7-5, 2-3
Michelsen served with new balls and capitalized on the advantage. He remained confident, trying to get his feet into the court at every opportunity and hitting his forehand with power.
Sinner-Michelsen 7-5, 2-2
Sinner’s confidence was evident in details like the two consecutive drop shots he used to finish the fourth game.
Just in case you were wondering what the perfect drop shot looks like ??@janniksin #MiamiOpen pic.twitter.com/1yKObriNKb
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) March 24, 2026
Sinner-Michelsen 7-5, 1-2
Sinner hit a geometrically perfect drop shot, arguably the best point of the match so far, to go up 15-15. Michelsen double-faulted but recovered, earning the point but failing to capitalize.
Sinner-Michelsen 7-5, 1-1
55 minutes and 14 games played so far demonstrate the pace of the match. From 15-30, Sinner hit a winning forehand after his serve and two aces. Jannik continues to impose his rhythm, which Michelsen is struggling to counter.
Stats –The Italian has significantly improved his return position in the later games of the first set: a tactically decisive factor
Sinner-Michelsen 7-5, 0-1
Michelsen opened the second set with a serve. A net cord made his drop shot of a backhand unreturnable, helping him go up 40-15. He then closed it out with a first serve, a long return from Sinner on game point.
