ATP Rotterdam: Jannik Sinner before the next milestone
After almost worrying about the Italian youngster at the beginning of the year, Jannik Sinner came back to Rotterdam on Thursday with his first exclamation mark in 2020. The South Tyrolean could move into the semi-finals of an ATP Tour 500 tournament for the first time.
by Robin Huiber
last edit: Feb 14, 2020, 07:50 am
With his first victory over a top ten player, the young Italian finally draws attention to himself again in the new season: At the ATP Tour 500 tournament in Rotterdam, the 18-year-old succeeded in the second round with the success over David Goffin the next surprise of the event - on Wednesday the number one, Daniil Medvedev , was blown out against the revived Vasek Pospisil. Sinner, who benefited from Radu Albot's task in the first round, was completely convincing in his first match on the Center Court in Rotterdam and beat his Belgian opponents 7: 6 (7) and 7: 5. In the third round, Pablo Carreno Busta is waiting, who won the day before in a purely Spanish duel in round two against Roberto Bautista Agut.
After Sinner ended 2019 with the triumphs at the Next Gen ATP Finals and then at the ATP Challenger tournament in Ortisei, the year 2020 started rather mixed. Before the tournament in Rotterdam, the Italian had only one victory (against Max Purcell in the first round of the Australian Open). In contrast, there are already four defeats: against Emil Ruusuvuori (No. 121 in the world rankings, at the ATP Challenger in Bendigo), Benoit Paire (No. 24, ATP Tour 250 event in Auckland), Marton Fuscovics (No. 64, Australian Open), Mikael Ymer (No.76, ATP Tour 250 tournament in Montpellier).
Medvedev and Tsitsipas already out
The Austrian tennis fans were able to get a first impression of Jannik Sinner last fall, when he defeated Philipp Kohlschreiber in round one at the Erste Bank Open in the Wiener Stadthalle. German spectators can look forward to the newcomer's appearance at the tournament in Munich at the end of April 2020, which will improve to at least 68th place in the ATP world rankings with the quarter-finals in Rotterdam.
With the victory over David Goffin, Sinner is back on the road to success. It took the outsider just under two hours to win over the Belgian in two short sentences. He should go to the next match a little fresher than his opponent. Pablo Carreno Busta, already has two intense three-set games in the legs, which have certainly used up a few energy reserves.
The additional day break before the quarter-finals on Friday (not before 1 p.m., live on Sky) was very convenient for the Spaniard in this case. If Sinner wins his next match, the view of the title should not be measured either. After the early departure of top favorite Daniil Medvedev, Stefanos Tsitsipas (number two) had to pack his bags earlier than expected.
With Andrey Rublev and Gael Monfils there are only two players left on the tableau - and the doors to tournament success are wide open for all players. Among other things, for the Italian shooting star Jannik Sinner.