Jannik Sinner upset Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-1 6-7 6-2 in 2 hours and 13 minutes in the battle between Next Gen ATP champions on the famous Pietrangeli Court at the Internazionali BNL d’Italia at the Foro Italico in Rome to score his second win over a top ten player.
Sinner won his first Masters 1000 match in 2019 in Rome against Steve Johnson.
Sinner set up a third round match against former Rome semifinalist Grigor Dimitrov, who cruised past Yoshihito Nishioka 6-1 6-0.
Sinner won 11 of the first 14 games before Tsitsipas fought back to win the second set at the tie-break forcing the match to the third set.
Sinner converted on 7 of 14 break points and dropped serve twice from three break point opportunities. The Italian teenager broke three times and lost two points on serve to win the opening set 6-1 in 30 minutes. Sinner earned his first break in the opening game with a forehand winner, but he wasted two more break point chances in the third game before winning four consecutive points at 3-1. Sinner rallied from 15-40 down in the seventh game to break serve after a double fault from Tsitsipas.
Sinner went up a break in the second game of the second setto build up a 5-2 lead and served for the match in the ninth game. Tsitsipas broke back to draw level to 5-5 and earned another break at 5-5 to serve for the set. Sinner broke back to force the second set to the tie-break. Tsitsipas saved two match points at 6-7 and 8-9 and won the tie-break 11-9 after Sinner made a forehand error.
Tsitsipas reeled off 16 consective points on serve and broke serve with a forehand down the line winner. Sinner got another break and held serve at love to build up a 4-0 lead. Sinner closed out the match with another hold at love.
“Tsitsipas is obviously a very experienced player. I played against him last year in Rome. I just wanted to play my game and move better. In the beginning, I was feeling great and I knew it was his first match on clay. When I served for the match at 5-3 in the second set, I hit one double fault and the tie-break and could have gone either way. I tried to start strongly in the third set. While you are young, you can achieve many things within a year. I think I have improved everything, especially the serve. I served a little bit better today, changing rotation and everything. Playing against Tsitsipas is never easy. Last year was my first test against a top 10 player, while I knew I had the level to compete better against him today. It was a great match, and I am thrilled. I have improved a lot since my last match against Tsitsipas”, said Sinner.
