Top-ranked Jannik Sinner fights back to launch China Open title defence
Sign up now: Get the biggest sports news in your inbox
Italy’s Jannik Sinner beat Chile’s Nicolas Jarry during their men’s singles round of 32 match at the China Open on Sept 26.
PHOTO: AFP
BEIJING – World No. 1 Jannik Sinner fought back to launch the defence of his China Open title with a 4-6, 6-3, 6-1 win over the 28th-ranked Chilean Nicolas Jarry on Sept 26.
The US Open champion next faces veteran three-time Grand Slam winner Stan Wawrinka, who is a wildcard entry in Beijing, or Russia’s Roman Safiullin.
The 23-year-old Sinner arrived in the Chinese capital fresh from winning in New York for his second Major title, having triumphed at the Australian Open at the start of 2024.
With victory also at the Cincinnati Masters before the US Open, Sinner faced Jarry in red-hot form and on a 12-match winning streak.
He made that 13, but not before enduring a scare.
“In the first set, I was struggling to return his serve and he broke me. I just tried to stay there mentally. The first round at any tournament is never easy and playing against him is very tough,” Sinner said.
“But I am happy about the performance and how I ended the match.”
The two went toe-to-toe in the first set but it was the Chilean who got in front when he broke for a 4-3 lead when the world No. 1 fired long.
Jarry, 28, consolidated without losing a point in the eighth game and, after double-faulting on his first set point, sealed the set with his fifth ace of the match.
Going behind seemed to sting a re-energised Sinner.
The top seed raced to a 3-0 lead in the second set, eventually wrapping up the set after briefly threatening to blow his advantage.
He tamed Jarry’s big serve to start the deciding set and grab an early break, winning the game with a terrific cross-court backhand.
Sinner broke again for 4-1 and was well on the way to an ultimately comfortable win.
His main rivals in the Chinese capital are four-time Major champion Carlos Alcaraz and the Russian duo of Daniil Medvedev and Andrey Rublev, the third and fourth seeds respectively.
Novak Djokovic is not in Beijing, where a WTA 1000 event is also taking place.
On the women’s tour, Coco Gauff hopes to “reset” and “refresh” after bringing in a new coach following the end of her 14-month partnership with Brad Gilbert.
The 2023 US Open champion told the WTA website that she has added Matt Daly to work alongside her long-time coach, Jean-Christophe Faurel. Daly, 45, most recently coached Canadian Denis Shapovalov.
The 20-year-old American will face France’s Clara Burel in her opening match on Sept 27 at the China Open.
“I’m really excited. I think this is probably what it will look like next year too. I’m super excited for a new change and hopefully to improve other parts of my game,” Gauff, ranked sixth in the world, told the WTA in Beijing.
Gauff and Gilbert announced their split last week after her title defence in New York ended in the last 16. AFP
