Sinner cruises past Moutet to close a new day of carnage in the bottom half
Jannik Sinner is breaking records and barely blinking. The Italian crushed Moutet 6-1, 6-4 on Monday night in Miami, surpassing Djokovic’s record with 26 consecutive sets won at Masters 1000 level. With Medvedev and Auger-Aliassime also out, the path to a historic Sunshine Double is clearing fast.
Jannik Sinner, Miami 2026 | © Zuma / PsNewz
Italian seed No. 2 Jannik Sinner defeated French seed No. 30 Corentin Moutet 6-1, 6-4 in the third round of the Miami Open on Monday night, advancing to the last 16 where he will face American Alex Michelsen and taking another step towards becoming only the eighth man to win the Sunshine Double.
Sinner was dominant from first to last. He won the opening set in just 26 minutes and never relinquished control, his flat, aggressive ball-striking stripping Moutet of time and options throughout.
In doing so, the Italian extended his consecutive sets won streak at Masters 1000 events to 25 (and eventually 26 at the end of the match), surpassing Novak Djokovic’s previous record of 24. He has won 30 of his last 32 matches and eight in a row at this tournament.
In keeping with the sportsmanship that has defined his season, Sinner voluntarily conceded a point mid-match after touching the ball with his racket, telling Moutet: “I think I touched it. I give you the point.”
He has now passed Carlos Alcaraz and tied Roger Federer for the third-highest winning percentage in Masters 1000 events since 1990 among players with a minimum of 20 matches – 77.9 per cent, behind only Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal.
Sinner’s 4th round as soon as tuesday
“I’m very happy but at the same time I don’t play for this,” Sinner said about his 26th consecutive set record. “We try to improve. No day off in between – we try to rest up and hopefully be ready for tomorrow.”
“It’s been a tournament I missed last year, so I’m very happy to be here,” Sinner said after the match. “Everything can happen. This sport is unpredictable. We try to keep attention very high. I’m happy about today’s performance.”
The Italian has not lost to a left-handed opponent in two and a half years. Moutet, a southpaw, was no exception. Asked to explain the streak, Sinner deflected with characteristic pragmatism. “I don’t know. We don’t have so many lefties in our game. We try to prepare in the best possible way, to be tactically as perfect as possible.”
Moutet : “Just accept”
Moutet, for his part, was candid in defeat. “He’s a better player and I need to work to improve my game. My level right now doesn’t allow me to beat this kind of player. I just have to accept it, keep training, and that’s it.”
Sinner came to Florida on the back of his Indian Wells title and arrived in the third round having barely broken sweat. Only seven men have won the Sunshine Double – Indian Wells and Miami in the same year – and the last was Roger Federer in 2017. Asked about it directly, Sinner kept it brief: “We go day by day. It’s a tough, tough challenge ahead of me. I’m happy to put myself in the position, and then we’ll see how it goes.”
Standing alongside him in the last 16 of the bottom half is German seed No. 3 Alexander Zverev, who navigated a rocky three-setter against Croatian Marin Cilic 6-2, 5-7, 6-4 to hold his ground. The two of them are the only top-ten seeds still standing in the bottom half of the draw after a day that stripped it bare, with Felix Auger-Aliassime’s (No. 7) and Daniil Medvedev’s (No. 9) losses.
French surge and top seeds fall
Monday was a French afternoon before it became a Sinner evening. Terence Atmane was the one defeating Auger-Aliassime to reach the top 50 (6-3, 1-6, 6-3). Seed No. 31 Ugo Humbert beat Kazakhstani Alexander Shevchenko 6-4, 7-6(2) to reach the Miami last 16 for the first time, posting 32 winners and 14 aces with a 97 per cent first-serve points won rate.
Quentin Halys followed him through, beating Pole Kamil Majchrzak 7-6(4), 6-1. The results came the day after Arthur Fils’s demolition of Tsitsipas, and the French contingent now has four players in the last 16 — Fils, Atmane, Humbert and Halys. There had been no player from France at this level in Miami since 2016.
The other major loss in the draw was Czech seed No. 12 Jakub Mensik, beaten by Frances Tiafoe (No. 19) 7-6(4), 4-6, 7-6(11) in a match that went deep into the afternoon. American Alex Michelsen, Sinner’s next opponent, beat Chilean Alejandro Tabilo 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 to earn his place in the last 16.
Monday’s results, Miami Open men’s third round, bottom half
Francisco Cerundolo (ARG, No. 18) d. Daniil Medvedev (RUS, No. 9): 6-0, 4-6, 7-5
Terence Atmane (FRA) d. Felix Auger-Aliassime (CAN, No. 7): 6-3, 1-6, 6-3
Frances Tiafoe (USA, No. 19) d. Jakub Mensik (CZE, No. 12): 7-6(4), 4-6, 7-6(11)
Alexander Zverev (GER, No. 3) d. Marin Cilic (CRO): 6-2, 5-7, 6-4
Alex Michelsen (USA) d. Alejandro Tabilo (CHI): 3-6, 6-3, 6-4
Ugo Humbert (FRA, No. 31) d. Alexander Shevchenko (KAZ): 6-4, 7-6(2)
Quentin Halys (FRA) d. Kamil Majchrzak (POL): 7-6(4), 6-1
Jannik Sinner (ITA, No. 2) d. Corentin Moutet (FRA, No. 30): 6-1, 6-4
4th round draw
S. Korda (32) – M. Landaluce (Q)
J. Lehecka (21) – T. Fritz (6)
T. Paul (22) – T. Etcheverry (29)
A. Fils (28) – V. Vacherot (24)
Ugo Humbert (31) – F. Cerundolo (18)
A. Zverev (3) – Q. Halys
T. Atmane – F. Tiafoe (19)
J. Sinner (2) – A. Michelsen
