Jannik Sinner is hopeful that the stomach problem that bugged him during his Australian Open win over Andrey Rublev is not too serious although he admits he will need to “have it checked”.
World No 4 Sinner took a major step towards a maiden Grand Slam title as he booked his place in the last four of the season-opening Grand Slam for the first time in his career as he dismissed Rublev 6-4, 7-6 (7-5) 6-3 at Melbourne Park on Tuesday.
However, midway through the second set he winced and looked to be troubled by his mid-section with commentators fearing it could be an “abdominal strain or some sort of a micro tear” and he would call the training.
The Italian, though, finished the match without much fuss and during an interview on Eurosport with Laura Robson he admitted it wasn’t too big a concern, but they will still have to monitor the problem.
“[I think] there was a bit of air [in my stomach],” he explained. “I don’t know what exactly it [was], so we have to check.
“Maybe it was something I ate before the match. It went away with a bit of time, and in the third set I didn’t feel anything anymore.
“Hopefully it’s going to be okay.”
The win over Rublev earned Sinner a semi-final face-off with defending champion Novak Djokovic on Friday at Rod Laver Arena.
Given their most recent encounters, it will be a hotly contested affair with Sinner beating the world No 2 twice in the space of a couple of weeks at the backend of the 2023 season although Djokovic defeated him in the final of the ATP Finals.
For Sinner, rest over the next couple of days will be key in the build-up to the match.
“[The two recovery days] are really important,” the 22-year-old, who is the only player left in the draw who is yet to drop a set in the tournament, said. “Trying to sleep as long as possible and having a little hit.
“Let’s see how I feel tomorrow. If not, I can take a complete day off and then hit [the following day] a little bit.
“Hopefully, I’m ready for a tough match. It’s going to be a really [difficult] one, but I’m looking forward to playing against Novak.
“Obviously, it’s going to be really tough but I will try my best and we will see what the outcome is.”
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