Jannik Sinner, number 2 in the world, debuted with a calm victory at the ATP 500 in Qatar ExxonMobil The Italian defeated the Czech Tomas Machac, 31st in the rankings, by 2 sets to 0, with scores of 6/1 and 6/4. The match took place on Monday, February 16, 2026, at the international tennis and squash complex in the Qatari capital, and lasted just 70 minutes. Sinner showed dominance from the start, especially on the serve, and did not face any major difficulties after the semi-final lost at Australian Open to Novak Djokovic.
The Italian showed no signs of injury to his left knee, despite having mentioned slight discomfort during preparatory training. Ele controlled the pace of the game with aggression and precision, breaking the opponent’s serve at key moments. The victory represents the 21st of the season for Sinner, who are looking to regain their momentum after the setback in Melbourne.
Dominance in the first set
Sinner imposed his game from the initial games. Ele broke Machac’s serve early on and maintained the advantage with consistent serves. The Czech had difficulty finding answers to the Italian’s powerful forehand.
The set ended in just 27 minutes. Sinner closed with 6/1, showing a high percentage of points won on the first serve.
Machac reaction in the second set
Machac tried to balance the match in the second set and managed to hold his service games with more consistency. The Czech showed aggression in some points, but made mistakes in decisive moments.
Sinner remained calm and broke again when necessary. Ele closed the set at 6/4, confirming superiority in the duel.
Match Stats and Highlights
- Sinner won 85% of the points on the first serve.
- The Italian made just 12 unforced errors compared to his opponent’s 18.
- Machac had a break chance in the second set, but did not convert.
- The match had few long games, with Sinner dictating the pace.
Performance on duty was one of the highlights for the Italian, who focused on this weapon in recent training.
Next round and opponent
Sinner advances to the round of 16 and faces Australian Alexei Popyrin on Wednesday, February 18. Popyrin beat local wild card Mubarak Shannan Zayid 6/0, 6/0 in the opening round.
The confrontation will be unprecedented in Doha for Sinner, who makes his debut in the tournament. The Italian is looking for his first title at the Qatar ExxonMobil Open, an event recently promoted to the ATP 500.
Tournament context in Doha
Qatar Open brings together big names from the world’s elite. Carlos Alcaraz leads the seed as seed 1, while Sinner occupies position 2. Outros players like Daniil Medvedev and Jakub Mensik also advanced in the first round.
The tournament takes place on outdoor hard courts. The weather conditions in Doha, with moderate wind, slightly influenced the day’s games.
Return of Sinner to the circuit
This was Sinner’s first appearance since losing in five sets to Djokovic in the Australian Open semi-final. The Italian handled the initial pressure of the comeback well.
He remained focused on solid fundamentals. The victory reinforces his consistency at ATP 500, a level at which he has accumulated a positive sequence of recent results.
Focus on service and preparation
Sinner highlighted the work on his serve before the tournament. Ele sought greater solidity in this weapon to face the circuit on fast courts.
The Italian spoke to former football player Rio Ferdinand after the match. The interaction took place in a quick interview on the court.
The ATP 500 of Doha continues with important matches in the coming days. Sinner remains one of the favorites for the title.
