Sinner looks for fresh start in Miami after first loss

MIAMI : For the first time this season Jannik Sinner comes into a tournament looking for a fresh start.

The Miami Open represents a new opportunity, the Italian said on Wednesday, as he looks to get back to winning ways after a 1-6 6-3 6-2 semi-final loss to his great rival Carlos Alcaraz at Indian Wells.

A reset is not something Sinner has had to do this campaign, after rocketing out of the gate with a 16-match winning streak that included a first grand slam title at the Australian Open.

"New week, new opportunities let's see what's coming," said Sinner at his pre-tournament press conference. "It is just a match that I lost, first there is nothing I can do about it.

"Secondly, every tournament you go to is a new opportunity and here is a new opportunity for me again to show some good tennis.

"I knew that the point (a first loss) was going to come.

"I'm happy that it came in a quite late stage of a tournament, that means quite a lot to me, semi-final in Masters 1000 event is still a great result so let's see what's coming."

Past results would indicate Miami is the perfect place to get back on track.

As a 19-year-old in 2021, Sinner became the first Italian finalist in tournament history, before reaching the final again in 2023.

Seeded second for the first time at a Masters event and with Alcaraz on the other side of the draw as the top seed, a buzz is already building around the possibility of Sinner and Alcaraz rematch.

After a first-round bye, Sinner will open his account against fellow Italian Andrea Vavassori while two times Grand Slam champion Alcaraz, looking to become the first man since Roger Federer in 2017 to complete the "Sunshine Double" after winning at Indian Wells, will face Aleksandar Vukic or Roberto Carballes