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Sinner skipped the warm-up tournaments for
Melbourne Park this year and said that meant it was all the more
important to make the most of the days when he is not playing.
"Tomorrow I have a day off, I'm trying to practice myself into
match rhythm. I'll also go to the gym ... I'm skinny but it's
okay," he told fans on Margaret Court Arena after his victory.
"Of course it's all muscle," he added with a laugh.
"Unfortunately not but it's okay. I'm happy with my physicality
at the moment. Of course, it's a dream to have like the Baywatch
physicality but it's okay."
Despite his slender build, there was no lack of power in his
shots on Wednesday as Sinner continued a strong run of form
going back to the end of last season that has some tipping him
to win first Grand Slam title at Melbourne Park this year.
He completely dominated world number 161 De Jong under the
closed roof on Margaret Court Arena, banging down 26 winners and
facing not a single break point over the entire contest.
There were sympathetic cheers from the crowd when De Jong
finally got on the scoreboard in the final set but Sinner was
soon serving out to love to ease into the third round for the
third successive year.
Next up for Sinner is a clash with Argentine world number 29
Sebastian Baez and, for all his fine form, the Italian knows it
is far too early to get carried away with his start to the
tournament.
"We have to see how I go when the match is closer, when the sets
are closer, trying to see how I react," he said.
"It doesn't matter who you play against, you fear nobody but
have a lot of respect for everyone."
(Reporting by Nick Mulvenney, editing by Peter Rutherford)
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