annik Sinner debuted with victory at the Internazionali BNL d’Italia. The Italian number 1 in the world beat the Austrian Sebastian Ofner 6-3 and 6-4 on the center court of Foro Italico, in Roma, this Saturday afternoon. The game lasted about an hour and 15 minutes. Sinner confirmed absolute favoritism in front of the local fans.
Sinner dominates first set with early breaks
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The first set was initially balanced. Ofner served well in the opening games and held on for 1-1. Sinner raised the bar from the third game onwards. Ele broke his rival’s serve at 15-40 and took a 3-1 lead. The Italian kept the pressure on with powerful forehands. A new break came in the seventh game. Sinner closed the set 6-3 with solid serve. Ele made just three unforced errors in the end.
Ofner tried to react at the beginning of the second set. The Austrian won the opening game with aggressive serves. Sinner returned the break soon after. The pace of the game increased. Sinner explored the forehand diagonals well. Ele converted another break in the fifth game and led 4-2. Ofner saved a break point in the next game, but did not avoid defeat. Sinner served for the game and closed at 6-4.
- Sinner hit 61% of first serves and won 82% of points with them
- The Italian saved both break points he faced
- Ofner did not convert either of the two break chances
- Sinner totaled three aces against one from his rival
- The world number 1 won 68 points in total against 53 for Ofner
Estatísticas confirms the Italian’s superiority
Serving performance made the difference. Sinner only lost four first serve points throughout the match. Ele dominated the long rallies with exchanges of over eight strikes. Ofner, who came from qualifying, felt the physical exhaustion against the pace set by the favorite. The Austrian made 16 unforced errors. Sinner registered just nine.
The victory continues Sinner’s good form at Masters 1000. Ele has now accumulated 29 consecutive victories at this tournament level. The Italian has lost just two sets in the last 60 he has played in events in the category. The audience at Stadio Centrale gave a standing ovation at the end of the game. Sinner waved and thanked them for their support before leaving the court.
Caminho from Sinner in the tournament remains open
With the result, Sinner advances to the third round. Ele will face the winner of the duel between the Italian qualifier and another qualifying player. The world number 1 seeks the title at home. Roma is the only Masters 1000 still missing from his resume of achievements. The fans expect a long campaign. Sinner demonstrated tactical and physical control in his debut.
The tournament continues with other important games this Saturday. Vários favorites enter the court next. Sinner returns to action on Monday or Tuesday depending on the schedule. Ele now has 30 wins and just two losses this season. The Italian remains the main candidate for the trophy at Foro Italico.