It was a rather complicated debut in the Atp 500 in Halle for Jannik Sinner
It was a rather complicated debut in the Atp 500 in Halle for Jannik Sinner, who had to find a way to contain the power of the service and the solidity of Tallon Griekspoor, able to snatch a set from the new number one in the world before giving up.
The Dutchman won a long tie-break (finished 10-8) but was unable to avoid the return of the South Tyrolean: the turn in the second part from 2-2, when the Italian recovered a game from 0-40 and got in the next one the first break of the whole challenge thanks to a splendid point.
From that moment on the 22-year-old controlled the match very well and took home the qualification to the second round of the tournament (6-3, 6-2 the two final sets).
Jannik Sinner is satisfied
Jannik Sinner expressed his thoughts in the usual interview in the center of the field on Atp Tour: “It was certainly a mentally difficult match.
I was 5-1 ahead in the tie-break, but I still lost. This can happen, especially on this surface where everything can slide very fast. I think I’ve been mental.
I struggled in the second set when I was down 0-40 on duty. If he had made that point, it would have been even more complicated,” he revealed. Then he added: “It’s all about trying to find the right trust in the grass and I’ve proven it.
I hope I can show good tennis in the next round”. A joke also about the great exchange won, which earned him the break on 4-2 of the second set, with an incredible recovery: “I ran a bit from right to left, then I tried somehow to catch the ball and let him play at least another extra shot.
He was under a lot of pressure with the break ball, and somehow I made it. Then I gained confidence,” he concluded, thanking the audience for their support.