Italian tennis star Jannik Sinner kicked off his ATP Finals campaign with a commanding 6-3, 6-4 victory over Australia’s Alex de Minaur on Sunday. Playing in front of a passionate home crowd at the Inalpi Arena, the World No. 1 bounced back from an early deficit to dominate the match.
Sinner, 23, showed little sign of rust despite not playing a competitive match since winning his seventh title of the season in Shanghai four weeks ago. After dropping serve to trail 2-1 in the first set, he quickly regained control, breaking back immediately. His powerful baseline play proved too much for De Minaur as Sinner cruised to his eighth consecutive win over the Australian.
“Considering I hadn’t played for four weeks, I’m very happy,” Sinner said after the match. “I started off with some unforced errors, but I stayed mentally focused, knowing that my game would come together. It arrived quite early, and I started to return very well. Today, I’m pleased with the win, and it will give me confidence.”
Sinner, who captured both the Australian Open and US Open titles this year, is aiming to claim the prestigious year-ending ATP Finals trophy for the first time, after finishing as runner-up to Novak Djokovic last year.
In another group stage match, American Taylor Fritz secured a noteworthy 6-4, 6-3 victory over Russia’s Daniil Medvedev. The match was marked by Medvedev’s frustration and a series of unusual on-court antics, including multiple double faults and a smashed racket.
Fritz, who recorded his first win over Medvedev, remained focused despite the distractions. “I definitely felt like at 5-3 he was going to reset and try as hard as he could to break me,” Fritz said. “I just had to stay focused and play a really good game because he was going to fight for that game. Luckily, I served a great game.”
Medvedev, a former ATP Finals champion, acknowledged his frustration. “I get angry, frustrated. This time completely with myself, not with anyone,” he told reporters. “I was like, ‘Whatever, I lost the match. I don’t care.'”
The ATP Finals continue this week, showcasing the top talent in men’s tennis as players vie for the coveted title.
Reference(s):
Jannik Sinner opens ATP Finals campaign with win over De Minaur
cgtn.com
