Jannik Sinner is playing some of the best tennis of his career in 2023. The 21-year-old is 19-4 on the year and three of his four losses have come against Carlos Alcaraz, Daniil Medvedev and Stefanos Tsitsipas.

According to Tennis Insights, the statistics back up his win-loss record. The Italian has not just been winning, but has been doing so with top-tier quality.

Across ATP Tour events in 2023, Sinner’s Shot Quality has ranked second for the forehand, backhand and return. Shot Quality is calculated in real time by analysing each shot’s speed, spin, depth, width, and the impact it has on the opponent.

Only Novak Djokovic’s forehand, Borna Coric’s backhand and Daniil Medvedev’s return Shot Qualities have been better. Sinner is the only player in the Top 3 for all three strokes.

Forehand Shot Quality (2023)

Backhand Shot Quality (2023)

Return Shot Quality (2023)

Sinner earned his biggest breakthrough two years ago at the Miami Open presented by Itau, where he reached his first ATP Masters 1000 player. But he feels he is a better player now.

“When I made the final here, I felt like it was completely something new,” Sinner told the media Tuesday in Miami. “Now I feel like I take every match in the best possible way. I go on court with a gameplan and I try to stick with it. Back in the day I was just going for shots without even thinking so much.

“Now it’s a little bit easier to execute it. But for sure I [will] try to go as far as possible and then we’ll see.”

How big do Sinner’s shots feel for opponents? The next player he will face, Emil Ruusuvuori, did not hesitate with his answer.

“Very, very big. He has just this extra gear sometimes that he can put on and just pop it and it just is like a missile,” Ruusuvuori told ATPTour.com. “You can’t leave anything hanging on either side. It’s going to be difficult to get back from those situations so you try to attack first and then go from there.”

‘My level was great, and I felt good on court’ @janniksin

We’re not arguing with that 🤯 #ShotQuality from every area of the game 📈💥#TennisInsights | @atptour | @MiamiOpen pic.twitter.com/c8a2T0IGnq

— Tennis Insights (@tennis_insights) March 28, 2023

If Sinner brings the imperious form he showed Tuesday against Andrey Rublev, it will be tough for any opponent to keep up.

Sinner’s jaw-dropping Shot Quality for the forehand (8.6), backhand (8.04) and return (7.47) in 2023 have been as close to the top of the charts as possible. But his metrics against Rublev were significantly better.

The Italian’s forehand Shot Quality was a 9, his backhand was a 9.5 and his return was an 8.5. That led to a resounding 6-2, 6-4 win against the No. 7 player in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings.

The frequency of a player achieving a Shot Quality of at least 9 on a shot is 0.3 per cent. Sinner did it on two different strokes in the same match.

“We try our best every day and I’m very happy about the performance today,” Sinner said in his post-match interview. “Playing against Andrey is never easy. He serves very well and he plays very aggressive, so I had to change a little bit today. For sure, my level was great, I felt good on court, so hopefully I can keep it up in the next round.”

Follow @tennis_insights on Twitter to learn how Shot Quality and other Tennis Insights are created.

A pair of former champions, Stan Wawrinka and Fabio Fognini, have been awarded wild cards for the 2023 Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters.

The clay-court ATP Masters 1000 tournament in Monaco, to be held from 9-16 April, announced on Tuesday that it will welcome back former World No. 3 Wawrinka for a 12th main-draw appearance at the Monte-Carlo Country Club. The Swiss defeated his countryman Roger Federer to lift the trophy in 2014 and also reached the semi-finals in 2009 at an event where he holds a 21-11 record.

📣 Wild Cards for the singles main draw

1️⃣ @fabiofogna 🇮🇹 2019 Champion

2️⃣ @stanwawrinka 🇨🇭 2014 Champion

3️⃣ @jackdraper0 🇬🇧 fast rising 21-years-old, world No.43

4️⃣ @val_vacherot 🇲🇨 top ranked Monaco Player#RolexMonteCarloMasters pic.twitter.com/Q0gs8v06HW

— Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters (@ROLEXMCMASTERS) March 28, 2023

The nine-time tour-level titlist Fognini enjoyed his victory moment in Monaco in 2019, when he took out Alexander Zverev and 11-time champion Rafael Nadal en route to the trophy.

Two other wild card entrants to the 56-man main draw were announced on Tuesday. Fast-rising 21-year-old Jack Draper, the No. 43 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings, will make his Monte Carlo main-draw debut, as will Valentin Vacherot. The World No. 322 Vacherot is the No. 1 Monegasque player in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings.

Karen Khachanov ended his victory drought against Top 10 opponents in style on Tuesday at the Miami Open presented by Itau, where the World No. 16 downed Stefanos Tsitsipas 7-6(4), 6-4 to reach the quarter-finals at the ATP Masters 1000 event.

Khachanov entered the match with an 0-6 ATP Head2Head record against the Greek but produced a confident display full of clean groundstrokes off both wings on Grandstand. The second-seeded Tsitsipas never found his best level as Khachanov’s high-energy performance snapped a 23-match losing streak against players in the Top 10 of the Pepperstone ATP Rankings.

“They say third time is a charm, but for me it took seven times, so I’m super happy,” said Khachanov after his 93-minute win. “Not most importantly that I beat Stefanos, but I think with the way I’m playing. After the Australian Open, I had some issue with an injury. I came back in Dubai without having played many matches and I’m just happy to continue that level.

“I just want to continue that way, enjoy the process, and enjoy the journey. It continues.”

QUARTER-FINAL BOUND ✅@karenkhachanov gets past Tsitsipas 7-6(4) 6-4 to advance in Miami🌴@MiamiOpen | #MiamiOpen pic.twitter.com/qkSFLXI2lM

— ATP Tour (@atptour) March 28, 2023

Khachanov fended off two Tsitsipas break points and did not conjure a single one of his own in a first set largely dominated by serve, but the 26-year-old was rewarded for his persistence as he pressured Tsitsipas into a series of backhand errors en route to claiming the tie-break.

Taking the lead appeared to further galvanise Khachanov, whose precise serving offered the World No. 3 Tsitsipas few opportunities to settle into rallies on return. After clinically breaking Tsitsipas’ serve to love in the fifth game, Khachanov showed no sign of nerves as he completed his victory having won 89 per cent (39/44) of points behind his first delivery.

Khachanov has now reached the quarter-finals in four of the six tour-level events he has played this year. That sequence includes reaching his second consecutive Grand Slam semi-final at January’s Australian Open, where he ultimately fell to Tsitsipas. The 26-year-old said staying aggressive to pin the powerful Tsitsipas back had been crucial to engineering his revenge win in Miami.

“I think [restricting Tsitsipas] was the key,” said Khachanov. “Both of us were serving pretty well in the first set… Then I took it to the tie-break, and in the second set as soon as the opportunity came, I had to take it.

“Those conditions are pretty quick, so I think it’s crucial to have the first serve going and the first shot after. I think both of us played extremely aggressive, so whoever took the chance first got the win.”

Khachanov’s run to his maiden quarter-final in Miami has lifted him two spots to No. 14 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings. The 26-year-old’s next opponent at Hard Rock Stadium will be 25th seed Francisco Cerundolo or Lorenzo Sonego.

The first two semi-final spots at the Miami Open presented by Itau are up for grabs on Wednesday in South Florida.

Top seed Carlos Alcaraz will continue his quest for the ‘Sunshine Double’ against American Taylor Fritz, while Jannik Sinner aims to reach consecutive ATP Masters 1000 semi-finals when he takes on Emil Ruusuvuori.

ATPTour.com previews the quarter-final matchups from the top half of the draw in South Florida.

View Schedule | View Draw

[1] Carlos Alcaraz (ESP) vs. [9] Taylor Fritz (USA)

After winning his third ATP Masters 1000 crown in Indian Wells earlier this month, Alcaraz has quickly adjusted to the faster conditions in Miami, defeating Facundo Bagnis, Dusan Lajovic and Tommy Paul to reach the last eight.

Chasing his 10th consecutive win, the Spaniard will look to maintain his level and overcome Top 10 star Fritz. The American is no stranger to the big stage, having lifted the trophy in Indian Wells last year. Chasing his sixth tour-level title this week, he produced a ruthless performance against Holger Rune to advance to the quarter-finals in Miami for the first time.

Possessing a thunderous serve and a destructive forehand, the 25-year-old will need both to fire if he is to breach the Alcaraz defence in their first ATP Head2Head meeting.

“The serve is always the most important thing. If I’m not serving well, then I’m getting broke and under a lot of pressure on my serve, it’s tough,” said Fritz, who has not dropped a set this fortnight. “Serving well, it just frees up the rest of my game, because I feel like it’s okay if I take chances, miss shots, go for a little bit more because I know I’m going to be getting free points on my serve.”

Alcaraz demonstrated great agility during his fourth-round match against Paul, scampering down every ball to stay in points before using his explosive groundstrokes and deft drop shot to turn the tables. The Spaniard is hopeful he can hit the same heights against Fritz.

“I played a really great match [against Paul] and I hope to play the same level in the quarter-final,” Alcaraz said. “I moved well and defended well and I counter-attacked and I think if I play at that same level, I will have a lot of chances to get through.”

Fritz, who would rise to No. 6 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings if he lifts his second ATP Masters 1000 crown on Sunday, is relishing the challenge the 19-year-old possesses.

“I am really excited for it,” Fritz said. “I think that a lot of people, a lot of people are really excited for that too. We have never played each other. I think it’s an interesting matchup. Obviously he’s playing great lately, and he had some injuries but hasn’t missed a beat. He’s been just on fire.”

Defending champion Alcaraz is aiming to become the youngest player to win the ‘Sunshine Double’. If the Spaniard can defeat Fritz and then go all the way, he will also remain at No. 1 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings. Any slip up, however, and Novak Djokovic will return to the top.

FOLLOW THIS WEEK’S ACTION

📺 TV Schedule
🎾 Watch Live On Tennis TV
📱 Follow Live Scores On ATP WTA Live
📧 Sign Up For Newsletters

[10] Jannik Sinner (ITA) vs. Emil Ruusuvuori (FIN)

Sinner has produced his best level in Miami throughout his career. The 21-year-old soared to his first ATP Masters 1000 final on tournament debut in South Florida in 2021, before he advanced to the quarter-finals last season.

The Italian has once again looked comfortable at the hard-court event this year, dispatching Laslo Djere, Grigor Dimitrov and Andrey Rublev in straight sets. Next in the firing line is Ruusuvuori, who is an opponent Sinner has a stranglehold over.

The 10th seed leads the Finn 4-0 in their ATP Head2Head series, and will be aiming for a Miami hat-trick on Wednesday after defeating Ruusuvuori in South Florida in 2021 and 2022. Sinner overpowered the 23-year-old with his flat and aggressive groundstrokes in their previous meetings and will be confident he can do so once again as he chases his eighth win in nine matches.

Ruusuvuori enters his first ATP Masters 1000 quarter-final off the back of an epic three-set win against Dutchman Botic van de Zandschulp. The 23-year-old reached the third round in Indian Wells earlier this month and has built on that run in Miami, defeating Nuno Borges, Roberto Bautista Agut and Taro Daniel at the hard-court event.

Up 17 spots to No. 37 in the Pepperstone ATP Live Rankings, the Finn will move to the brink of the Top 30 if he can continue his dream run on Wednesday.

In Doubles Action…

The doubles quarter-final action also starts on Wednesday, when top seeds Wesley Koolhof and Neal Skupski face Santiago Gonzalez and Edouard Roger-Vasselin. The Dutch-British pair reached the final in Miami last year and will be aiming to go one step further this week as they chase their first title of the season.

The other quarter-final pits fifth seeds Lloyd Glasspool and Harri Heliovaara against Americans Nathaniel Lammons and Jackson Withrow. Glasspool and Heliovaara, who won the title in Adelaide earlier this year, are making their team debut in Miami this week.

Taylor Fritz reached the quarter-finals at Miami Open presented by Itau for the first time on Tuesday, overcoming Holger Rune 6-3, 6-4 in the first Top 10 clash at this year’s event.

The American, who had never been beyond the fourth round in six previous appearances in South Florida, was dialled in from ball one inside Hard Rock Stadium. He combined fierce power with consistency to outlast World No. 8 Rune in their first ATP Head2Head meeting.

Fritz drove the ball down the middle of the court to cut off angles for the Dane and stepped forward at crucial times, striking 19 winners throughout the 85-minute clash. He has now earned three straight-sets victories this fortnight, having also defeated Emilio Nava and Denis Shapovalov.

“I couldn’t play aggressively in my first two matches because my opponents were hitting every ball as hard as they could. [Rune] still crushes the ball but it was nice to feel I had some more time,” Fritz said. “The first two rounds, it was impossible to play my game, I just had to make balls. Today when I got the chance to be aggressive I was and I just wanted to serve well and try not to give him many free points.”

The World No. 10 holds a 20-5 record on the season, highlighted by his title run in Delray Beach. He will aim to reach his third ATP Masters 1000 semi-final when he plays top seed Carlos Alcaraz or countryman Tommy Paul in the last eight.

Fritz arrived in Miami at No. 10 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings after his Indian Wells title defence was ended at the quarter-final stage by Jannik Sinner. Having been at a career-high No. 5 earlier this month, the 25-year-old is on a mission to rise again and will climb to No. 6 if he lifts his second ATP Masters 1000 crown in South Florida.

“I think my average level of tennis is a lot higher,” Fritz said. “I don’t need to always show up and play my best and if I don’t play my best, that level is higher than it used to be. I feel I can come through and win a lot of matches.”

Rune, currently No. 8 in the Pepperstone ATP Live Rankings, earned victories against Marton Fucsovics and Diego Schwartzman on his debut in Miami. The three-time tour-level titlist struggled to find his best level at the crucial moments against Fritz, however, converting just one of his six break point opportunities.

If a picture is worth a thousand words the smile on Christopher Eubanks’ face Monday evening was worth a million.

With the American railing ⅖ in the second-set tie-break of his match against Gregoire Barrere, rain forced the players off the court. When they returned after one hour and 55 minutes, the Frenchman won the first point before Eubanks saved five set points en route to a 6-3, 7-6(7) victory for a place in the fourth round of the Miami Open presented by Itau.

How did it feel?

“Really good. Really good. Really good,” Eubanks repeated to the media in Miami.

But it was more than just a win. It signified a milestone that the 26-year-old had been working towards. Eubanks climbed to No. 96 in the Pepperstone ATP Live Rankings, and he is projected to crack the world’s Top 100 for the first time next Monday.

“The past few weeks have been really, really tough just because I’ve been kind of thinking about Top 100 and everything,” Eubanks said. “I had some losses that I shouldn’t have [had] and I was really second-guessing a lot about my game and everything.”

Chris Eubanks is now into the top 100 in the @PepperstoneFX #ATPLiveRankings for the first time in his career 👏#partner pic.twitter.com/oxeQ7hl7eQ

— ATP Tour (@atptour) March 28, 2023

Eubanks this week decided to delete tennis apps off his phone to avoid looking at the Pepperstone ATP Live Rankings. He had been disappointed with his recent play and set a goal for himself.

“I’m just going to focus on playing every single match and I did that,” Eubanks said before choking up with emotion inside the bowels of Hard Rock Stadium. “Wow, it feels good. It feels good.”

The Atlanta native followed the college route, competing for Georgia Tech from 2015-17 and twice earning ACC Player of the Year (2016-17). He broke into the Top 200 in April 2018, but the Top 100 proved elusive.

In February, Eubanks ascended to a career-high World No. 102, but four consecutive losses proved a roadblock. A three-set loss in Indian Wells qualifying to Maximilian Marterer gave him a bit more confidence that the Eubanks train was rolling in the right direction, and that has played out here in Miami.

The home favourite qualified before ousting Denis Kudla, 17th seed Borna Coric and Barrere to earn his place in the Top 100 and the fourth round of an ATP Masters 1000 event for the first time.

Eubanks admitted he was never the best player in his state, section or the country growing up. But his hard work has paid off and coach Ruan Roelofse was happy to confirm for his charge after Monday’s match that he had made his long-desired breakthrough.

“For him it’s very special of course. You saw what it meant to him on the court,” Roelofse told ATPTour.com. “He didn’t know that it was [guaranteed] Top 100. He thought it was, but I told him afterwards.

“It’s special for me to help him because he’s been playing for a few years on Tour and everyone knows he has the capability of doing it. So to help him get there means a lot to me, too.”

What was most telling was how happy people were for the American. Eubanks has plenty of fans in the locker room and around the tennis world.

During the rain delay, Eubanks spoke in the locker room to Frances Tiafoe, whose match had also been suspended. Tiafoe gave him plenty of encouragement. After the victory, Eubanks FaceTimed with friend Coco Gauff. Others including Darren Cahill, Rennae Stubbs and Brad Gilbert congratulated him on social media. It is Eubanks’ special moment, but everyone is happily sharing in it.

“It’s amazing. He’s an amazing person on and off the court. He’s obviously got a lot of character,” Roelofse said. “People love seeing him play, he’s entertaining to the crowd and personally one on one he’s been great with me. It’s been fun helping him and I’m happy with where we’re heading.”

It is such an emotional moment that it is easy to forget Eubanks is one of the final 16 players remaining in the year’s second Masters 1000 event. A match against unseeded Frenchman Adrian Mannarino separates him from a spot in the quarter-finals.

For now, Eubanks is understandably soaking it all in.

“Damn it’s crazy man,” Eubanks said. “Wow this is weird. Sorry, it’s just wild.”

As the 26-year-old continued providing the media insight into his accomplishment, Eubanks could not help but take a fun jab at himself.

“Why am I crying?” Eubanks asked himself rhetorically. “This is so embarrassing! But no, it feels good.”

A host of stars are in action on one of the most exciting days of the ATP Tour calendar Tuesday at the Miami Open presented by Itau.

All eight fourth-round matches feature on the schedule at Hard Rock Stadium. In the top half of the draw, Andrey Rublev and Jannik Sinner face off for a fifth chapter of their hard-hitting ATP Head2Head rivalry. World No. 1 and defending champion Carlos Alcaraz takes on home favourite Tommy Paul, and Holger Rune and Taylor Fritz meet in the first all-Top 10 clash of the ATP Masters 1000 event.

In the bottom half, Stefanos Tsitsipas seeks to maintain his perfect record against Karen Khachanov, while Daniil Medvedev takes on surprise package Quentin Halys.

ATPTour.com previews some of the key clashes on an action-packed Day 7 in southern Florida.

View Singles Draw | View Doubles Draw | View Schedule

[6] Andrey Rublev vs. [10] Jannik Sinner (ITA)

Fireworks from the baseline are guaranteed on Grandstand when Rublev and Sinner meet for the first time on an outdoor hard court. Neither player has dropped a set in Miami across their opening two matches and both have a history of success in the fast conditions at Hard Rock Stadium.

The 2021 semi-finalist Rublev’s powerful serve and sledgehammer forehand will likely be key. If he can hit through Sinner consistently, he will be confident of avenging his 2022 Monte Carlo defeat to the Italian, the pair’s only previous Masters 1000 clash. Rublev will be wary of Sinner’s ability to redirect that power to his own advantage, however, particularly at a venue where the Italian reached his only Masters 1000 final in 2021.

A 2-2 ATP Head2Head series record makes the matchup between the World No. 7 Rublev and the World No. 11 Sinner all the more intriguing. The 21-year-old Sinner was unable to complete either of his defeats in that sequence due to injury and the Italian, who is one of the best movers on Tour, will hope his body this time holds up as he bids for his third Top 10 win of the year.

[1] Carlos Alcaraz (ESP) vs. [16] Tommy Paul (USA)

The World No. 1 Alcaraz seeks to extend his eight-match winning streak against home favourite Paul, but he will be in no doubt as to the threat posed by his 16th-seeded opponent. Paul downed the Spaniard in three sets in the pair’s only previous tour-level meeting in Montreal last August, and Alcaraz is prepared for another stiff challenge on Tuesday inside Hard Rock Stadium.

“He does everything well,” said Alcaraz, who must defend his title to stay at No. 1 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings after Miami. “He moves well. He is fast. He hits great shots. Big forehand, big backhand. He’s going to be really, really tough.”

Paul is enjoying a stellar 2023 but the 25-year-old, who reached the Australian Open semi-finals and the championship match in Acapulco, will need to bring his best to take down the red-hot Alcaraz. The 19-year-old’s all-around game has looked in fine shape across Indian Wells and Miami as aspires to become the youngest man to complete the coveted ‘Sunshine Double’.

[7] Holger Rune (DEN) vs. [9] Taylor Fritz (USA)

The opening act of Tuesday’s schedule inside Hard Rock Stadium sees Rune take on No. 1 American Fritz in a popcorn Top 10 encounter.

Although 2022 Indian Wells champion Fritz has never been past the fourth round, the 25-year-old’s combination of big serving and aggressive groundstrokes is suited to Miami, where the ball skids through the courts at speed. Fritz will hope to disrupt the rhythm of Rune, whose all-around ability has led him to a career-high No.8 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings at the age of 19, in the pair’s first tour-level meeting.

The Dane has excelled on his main-draw debut in Miami, defeating Marton Fucsovics and Diego Schwartzman in straight sets, and he knows how to beat the best at Masters 1000 level — he defeated five Top 10 players in a row, including Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic, en route to the Rolex Paris Masters title last November.

Clinical performance 👏@holgerrune2003 executes some very attacking 🎾 as he moves on in Miami 📈#TennisInsights | @atptour | @MiamiOpen pic.twitter.com/DffAhUNijo

— Tennis Insights (@tennis_insights) March 26, 2023

[2] Stefanos Tsitsipas (GRE) vs. [14] Karen Khachanov

Tsitsipas would do well to look to his past meetings with the 14th-seeded Khachanov ahead of the pair’s fourth-round clash on Grandstand. The nine-time ATP Tour titlist holds a 6-0 ATP Head2Head series lead against the World No. 16, with four of those wins coming at ATP Masters 1000 events.

That suggests the outcome of the pair’s fourth-round clash rests on the Greek’s racquet, but Tsitsipas knows he needs to be vigilant if he wants to maintain his perfect record against Khachanov. The second seed’s third-round victory against Cristian Garin was his first match for a month due to an ongoing shoulder issue, and Tsitsipas will need to be serving at full strength in order to nullify his opponent’s sharp return game.

The 2018 Rolex Paris Masters champion Khachanov has gone some way to rectifying his pre-tournament 2-6 Miami record with his run to the fourth round. The 26-year-old has thrived on the big stage in recent times: he reached the semi-finals at the 2022 US Open and then again at the Australian Open in January, when it was Tsitsipas who proved too strong in the final four in Melbourne. Can Khachanov handle a successful revenge mission in Florida?

[4] Daniil Medvedev vs. Quentin Halys (FRA)

Medvedev bounced back from his Indian Wells final defeat to Alcaraz in style in his Miami opener. The fourth seed dropped just three games against Roberto Carballes Baena as his relentless baseline hitting seamlessly transferred to the faster conditions at Hard Rock Stadium.

That extra pace in the courts will also suit his fourth-round opponent in Florida, however. Halys charged past Pedro Martinez, Alex de Minaur and Mackenzie McDonald with some devastating serving displays, making Tuesday’s matchup with return wizard Medvedev an intriguing battle.

The World No. 5 will hope to exploit Halys’ relative inexperience at this level. The No. 79-ranked Frenchman had not won a Masters 1000 main-draw match prior to this event, and he will need to maintain his best form if he is to prevail in the pair’s maiden ATP Head2Head meeting. A third consecutive Miami quarter-final appearance is on the line for Medvedev, who is chasing his first title at this level since 2021.

Also In Action…

The 26th seed Botic van de Zandschulp aims to back up his third-round upset of Casper Ruud when he takes on World No. 54 Emil Ruusuvuori. The Dutchman has never been past the third round of an ATP Masters 1000 event, while it is a second fourth-round appearance for Ruusuvuori in Miami — the Finn defeated Alcaraz and Alexander Zverev en route to the last 16 in 2021.

The 2022 semi-finalist Francisco Cerundolo looks to back up his third-round upset of Felix Auger-Aliassime against Lorenzo Sonego, while home qualifier Christopher Eubanks seeks to extend his dream run in Florida when he takes on France’s Adrian Mannarino.