Jannik Sinner ready to win big titles despite Miami runner-up finish

Jannik Sinner didn't win the title in Miami, but he did learn a lot about winning titles. The 19-year-old Italian made his first Masters final at the event, falling to Hubert Hurkacz in straight sets. But he wasn't satisfied.

"I'm not here for making finals, you know. I'm here to win tournaments," Sinner told press. "But it's going back to work and then we will see what I can do on the clay."

And, according to Sinner, that attitude might be his biggest accomplishment of the week. In a tournament lacking top names like Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, and Dominic Thiem, the teenager stepped up and took advantage.

"That I came here with the mentality to win," he said. "We knew that Rafa, Roger, Novak, Thiem were not playing. I think it was a big opportunity for many players.

"So, you know, we came here trying to win the right way and trying to go to the net, trying to make the game, trying to move my opponent."

That's the game Sinner wants to carry into the clay season.

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"For me, improvement is the most important thing," he said. "I think I have to improve on every single part of my game—physically, mentally, everything."

That's what he's been doing this season. The teenager began by winning his second career title at a 250 tournament in Melbourne before the Australian Open, but had a tough first-round defeat against Denis Shapovalov at the Grand Slam proper, then went down again in a frustrating defeat in the opening round of Montpellier.

That prompted him to play a more assertive style that paid off at Miami.

"I was back and playing the ball in the court. I finished the match playing not my game," Sinner said. "Our first goal was trying to take my tennis back, trying to play more aggressive—mix it up a little bit. You know, trying to move the others. So I think this kind of stuff starting from Dubai came back a little bit. Obviously there is a lot of work, a lot of things to do.

"For the next 30, 40 matches prefer to do like this, and then we will see what solution we have. But I think it has been a good week anyway."

Following his final appearance in Miami, he is now a career-high No. 23 in the rankings.