Sinner Relishing the Moment after Magnificent Miami Performance

 Jannik Sinner of Italy poses with the Miami Open men's trophy at Hard Rock Stadium on March 31, 2024 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Getty Images/AFP)
Jannik Sinner of Italy poses with the Miami Open men's trophy at Hard Rock Stadium on March 31, 2024 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Getty Images/AFP)
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Sinner Relishing the Moment after Magnificent Miami Performance

 Jannik Sinner of Italy poses with the Miami Open men's trophy at Hard Rock Stadium on March 31, 2024 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Getty Images/AFP)
Jannik Sinner of Italy poses with the Miami Open men's trophy at Hard Rock Stadium on March 31, 2024 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Getty Images/AFP)

Jannik Sinner said he is enjoying every moment of his sensational start to the 2024 season after winning the Miami Open on Sunday for his third title of the year.

The Italian thoroughly outplayed Daniil Medvedev in the semis and Grigor Dimitrov in the final to improve to 22-1 on the year and rise to a career-best world number two.

"This is a special moment," Sinner said after beating Dimitrov 6-3 6-1 in the final for his second Masters 1000 title.

"You never know if this is the last time or not. So you have to enjoy this for one day, and now a new chapter is coming, clay-court season is coming, so completely different.

"Let's see how I will play from now on. But for sure, the hard-court season until now has been very good."

Behind an improved serve and textbook shot-making, Sinner has been on a roll this season, winning the Australian Open in January for what is expected to be the first of many Grand Slam titles.

His only loss of the year came to Carlos Alcaraz in the semis at Indian Wells but after his triumph in South Florida, the Spaniard will now be looking up to his rival in the rankings come Monday.

"Being number two, it's an amazing feeling," Sinner said.

"I never thought to come to this point. I come from a very normal family. My dad is still working, as my mom, too. For me sport is one thing and life is different."

Sinner's coach Darren Cahill told reporters that the 22-year-old was loving life but also staying grounded.

"He appreciates every single moment that is happening to him, but he's also got his feet on the ground knowing it's just a sport, it's just a tennis match," Cahill said.

"Whilst he's professional in everything he does, he enjoys his life. He's a normal 22-year-old kid. There's a lot to learn from him, a lot of good to learn from both him and Carlos. I think they're very similar in many, many ways.

"That's why I think tennis is in great hands at the moment with the likes of those two and many other players coming through that are going to carry the torch through a generation we have been so fortunate to sit through the last 20 years.

"It's important to have these types of sports people coming through."



South Korea Expresses Regret after Its Athletes Introduced as North Korea at Opening Ceremony

 Athletes of South Korea travel by boat along the Seine river during the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summer Olympics, in Paris, France, Friday, July 26, 2024. (AP)
Athletes of South Korea travel by boat along the Seine river during the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summer Olympics, in Paris, France, Friday, July 26, 2024. (AP)
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South Korea Expresses Regret after Its Athletes Introduced as North Korea at Opening Ceremony

 Athletes of South Korea travel by boat along the Seine river during the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summer Olympics, in Paris, France, Friday, July 26, 2024. (AP)
Athletes of South Korea travel by boat along the Seine river during the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summer Olympics, in Paris, France, Friday, July 26, 2024. (AP)

South Korea expressed regret that its delegation of athletes at the Paris Olympics opening ceremony on Friday was introduced as from rival North Korea and has demanded assurances from organizers the mistake will not happen again.

As the boat carrying South Korean athletes passed on the Seine, the announcer introduced them as the "Democratic People's Republic of Korea" - the official name of North Korea - in French and English.

The announcer used the same introduction when the North Korean delegation passed.

South Korea's vice minister for sports and culture, Jang Mi-ran, who was in Paris, had requested a meeting with International Olympics Committee President Thomas Bach, the ministry said in a statement.

"We express regret that the country was introduced as North Korea at the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympic Games when the athletes of the Republic of Korea were entering," it said.

South Korea's National Olympic Committee immediately referred the incident to the Games' organizers and requested that the error will not be repeated.

South Korea's delegation includes 143 athletes competing in 21 events. North Korea, which is returning to the Games for the first time since Rio 2016, has sent 16 athletes.