Jannik Sinner admitted he got “lucky” after Grigor Dimitrov was forced to retire during their round of 16 match at Wimbledon.
The Bulgarian was leading two sets to love and looking like he was heading for his defeat of Sinner in five years before a pectoral muscle injury forced him to withdraw.
Sinner would go on to win the tournament while Dimitrov has yet to return to action.
Now, as he looks to win again this time at the Cincinnati Open, the world No.1 has conceded he was “lucky” to get past Dimitrov.
“I was lucky against Grigor, but I took it as a sign,” Sinner said. “You never know what can happen and that’s how it is in tennis. So you have to try to understand why and how certain things happen.
“And after that match, I really raised my level of play, and I played some of the best tennis I could play. It was a very emotional moment for me, and I was able to celebrate with my team.”
Sinner is looking to retain his Cincinnati title but has already made an observation that he believes the balls are getting smaller.
“From my point of view, the tennis balls are getting smaller,” he said ahead of his Round of 16 match against Daniel Elahi Galan. “The more you play, the smaller they get.
“That is very strange because usually they open up and get slower, but here they get actually faster.
“The ball bounces much higher. We haven’t had one very windy day yet, but it’s going to be very difficult if there’s going to be wind here.
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“We saw it last year, remember the match against Andrey was super difficult, so it’s very difficult and it’s going to be a mental game. I am trying to accept every situation on the court and trying to be ready.”
Sinner will be wearing an arm sleeve in Cincinnati, as he did at Wimbledon, but explained that it was not protecting an injury.
“The elbow does not hurt, but I like the sensation that gives the sleeve,” he said.
“It gives a little more stability in the impact with the ball. I had also used it at Wimbledon and I liked it.”
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