Jannik Sinner beat world number 48 Benjamin Bonzi 6-2 3-6 6-1 in 2 hours and 4 minutes to set up a third round match against Stefanos Tsitsipas at the ABN AMRO Open in Rotterdam.
Sinner converted 4 of his 13 break points to score the third consecutive win against Bonzi in his career. In their previous two head-to-head matches Sinner beat Bonzi in the second round at 2020 Roland Garros and in the Round of 16 at 2022 Indian Wells.
Sinner rallied from 0-40 down and converted his fourth break point in a seven-deuce first game. The Italian player earned a double break in the third game to open up a 3-0 lead and won his next service games to seal the first set 6-2. He dropped four points and won 75% of his first serve points in the opening set.
Bonzi fended off three break points in the first game of the second set to hold serve in a three-deuce game. The Frenchman converted his first break point of the fourth game and held serve to open up a 4-1 lead. He saved a break point in both the seventh and ninth games to close out the second set 6-3.
Sinner converted his break point in the second game of the third set, as Bonzi sent his forehand long, and held his serve to open up a 3-0 lead.
Sinner rallied from 15-40 down by winning four consecutive points and saved two break-back points in the fifth game of the third set to take a 4-1 lead. The seven-time ATP Tour titlist sealed the third set 6-2 with a second break in the sixth game.
Sinner saved two of the three break points and hit 29 winners to 18 unforced errors. He saved 2 of the 3 break points he faced to improve his record to 9-2 this season.
Sinner will face Tsitsipas in a re-match of this year’s Australian Open fourth round showdown. Tsitsipas leads 5-1 in his six head-to-head matches against Sinner and beat his younger rival in five sets at the Australian Open last January.
Sinner won the seventh ATP Tour title of his career in Montpellier last week.
“It’s definitely tough when you come quite late to the other tournament, so I am happy with my performance today. It was not easy for me. We made a lot of unforced errors today. I tried to stay focused on my game. I started really well and I finished pretty well, so I am happy. Let’s what will happen in the next round”, said Sinner.
Last year’s Paris Bercy champion Holger Rune beats Constant Lestienne 6-4 6-4. Rune earned his first break at love in the seventh game to take a 4-3 lead, but Lestienne broke straight back to draw level to 4-4. Rune converted his third break point in the ninth game at deuce to win the first set 6-4.
The Danish player went up a 3-0 lead with a double break. Lestienne pulled one break back in the fourth game for 1-3. Sinner held his next service games to win the second set 6-4. Rune will play against Dutch wild card Gijs Brouwer in the next round.
