ATP Sofia: Jannik Sinner ahead of first ATP title?
Jannik Sinner is in the semi-finals at the ATP 250 event in Sofia - and could win his first title on the ATP tour there.
by Michael Rothschädl
last edit:
Nov 13, 2020, 07:42 am
In 2018 the name Jannik Sinner appears for the first time in the records of the ATP. It all started at a future event in Egypt, where the Italian was supposed to be eliminated in the second round. Just one year later, Sinner made the jump to the Challenger Tour and a little later even to the ATP Tour. In the former, the South Tyrolean celebrated two title wins, in the latter the first semi-final (in Antwerp) and victory at the NextGen ATP finals should follow in 2019.
Now, in 2020, Sinner has again written some success stories, made it into the top 50 in the world rankings, and reached his first Grand Slam quarter-finals at the French Open. And these days, in Sofia, Bulgaria, the Italian is in his third ATP semifinals for the season finale. And can calculate quite realistic chances of winning his first title on the ATP tour.
In the semifinals against Mannarino
Only yesterday, Thursday, Sinner was able to eliminate the best placed player in the remaining tournament grid in the quarter-finals, defeating Australian Alex de Minaur in a hard- fought game in three sets. Now Sinner is up against the French Adrian Mannarino, who is generally considered a very unpleasant opponent. In the head-to-head of the two it is still 0-0, in the world rankings Mannarino, the veteran, is nine places ahead.
Nevertheless, Sinner has a very clear picture of what awaits him on Friday: "Adrian is a demanding player, a left-handed player who serves well and moves well in long rallies. It will be a physical game," said the Italian afterwards of his victory over de Minaur. "I have to talk to my coach about how I'll play tomorrow and try to prepare for it."
Should Sinner overcome this hurdle too, it would be against the winner of the second semi-final between Vasek Pospisil and Richard Gasquet. The 19-year-old is also waiting for his first meeting against the two veterans on the tour, but at least in terms of world rankings the Italian is already ahead of the two possible final opponents. The chances that the South Tyrolean will end the 2020 game year as successfully as last year - when he also celebrated a Challenger title after his triumph at the NextGen ATP Finals - are anything but bad.