Jannik Sinner lost his first set since last October at the Masters 1000 level, with the Italian struggling through anyway for a 6-1, 6-7 (3), 6-3 defeat of Tomas Machac on Thursday in Monte Carlo.

Coming in to face Czech Machac, the Italian world No. 2 had won his last 36 sets at the elite Masters level – 18 victories on the trot resulting in titles at Paris, Indian Wells and Miami.

Sinner suffered a physical slump in the second set, which he lost in a tiebreaker after coming back from a double break down.

The 24-year-old stayed hazy on details but said he was struggling for energy in the second set. He brought out the doctor in the third set, but only apparently for a chat before finishing off another victory

“It can’t be the same every day,” the winner said.”I was struggling and was a bit tired. 

“I hope to recover form Friday (for a quarter-final against Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime). I try to do my best in every match.

“Today I was hapy to get through somehow.”

Sinner ended with 18 winners and 26 unforced errors in his two-hour win.

“I hope to play better tennis tomorrow, but today was still very positive.”

Sinner explained vaguely: “I felt great before the match but I struggled trying to find the right energy.

“It can happen – I had to push myself through. My main priority now is to recover.”

Sinner extended his current win streak to 14 matches, last losing in Doha in mid-February; he has reached the quarter-finals in the principality for the fourth time in five appearances.

British No. 1 Emma Raducanu got back to winning ways under the eyes of returning  “part time” coach Mark Petchey 6-1,6-3 over Anastasia Zakharova in Indian Wells.

In and out of form Raducanu made a second-round exit at the Australian Open in January, then  the 2021 US Open champion reached only the second final of her career iat the Transylvania open  Romania but then failed to win a match in either Doha or Dubai.

The 23-year-old looked like a completely different player in the Californian desert, compared with her form in The Gulf, brushing aside the Russian qualifier to book her spot in the last 32 of the WTA 1000 event.

The return of former coach Mark Petchey to Raducanu’s corner on a temporary basis undoubtedly  made a difference, with the familiar face watching on approvingly as his charge dominated from start to finish.

The 23 year old said after the match  “I think my game was in a really good place,”

“I hadn’t necessarily felt so good for the last month, so I’m really pleased with the work we did for the last week and just for it to transfer on the match court like that gives you huge confidence that you are doing the right thing.

“Today’s match was a great display for myself of how I want to be playing, of what I want to be feeling like when I’m on the court.”

“That was a great kind of show of my game today. I played really well.”

She added that returning to her natural attacking style has been key: “For me, returning is such a strength of mine and when I’m returning well, it makes me a different player.”

Raducanu had received a first-round bye as the 25th seed, will face world number six Amanda Anisimova in the third round.

Jannik Sinner is keeping his focus on his tennis as the world No. 2 attempts to win his first title of the season when the Indian Wells Masters kicks off.

The Italian did not play in Dubai, where champion Daniil Medvedev and around 40 others among tennis players, coaches and ATP staff have been stranded since  Saturday due to the US attack on Iran.

“There are certain things we cannot control really, and this is definitely one of them,” he said pre-event.  “I believe that ATP and everyone is trying to do the best possible choices, to feel as safe as possible.

“That’s the only thing I can say really. I obviously hope that everyone is safe and they can come here to play or also to go home. 

“You realise that there are much more important things in life than playing  tennis.”

As for his form, Sinner is moderately satisfied.

“I’m very happy with how I’m feeling on the court, and obviously will try to go as far as possible in the tournament. At the same time, we also try to improve a couple of things. 

“I’m trying to be slightly more aggressive at times on the baseline, and then we see how it goes.

“The season is  good. semis in Australia and in Doha what happened, but I’m very happy how and what mental moment I am in.”

Main photo:- Jannik Sinner losing to Novak Djokovic in Melbourne last month – by ISF Ltd