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World no. 1 Jannik Sinner made a winning start at the Shanghai Masters. The Italian faced Taro Daniel in the second round and ousted the Japanese 6-1, 6-4 in an hour and 17 minutes, joining Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz in round three.
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Sinner served at 78% and landed 12 aces, dominating with his first serve and facing no break points. Daniel felt the pressure and could not endure it despite a solid effort in the second set. The lower-ranked player lost almost half of the points in his games, playing against nine break points and getting broken three times.
The world's best player landed 38 winners and 12 unforced errors, taming his strokes nicely and hitting more service winners than his opponent. Jannik had the upper hand in the shortest, mid-range and most advanced rallies, controlling the scoreboard and moving over the top in style.
Sinner was off to a great start, closing the first game of the encounter with a forehand winner and moving 2-1 in front with a service winner two games later.
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Jannik Sinner defeated Taro Daniel in straight sets in Shanghai.
The Italian attacked on the return in the fourth game and created a break chance with a backhand winner.
Taro missed a backhand, losing serve and propelling his opponent 3-1 in front. World no. 1 landed an ace in the fifth game, holding at love and extending the advantage. Jannik made another push on the return in the sixth game, painting a volley winner for three break chances.
The two-time Major winner cracked a forehand down the line winner, delivering another break and opening a 5-1 advantage. Sinner served for the opener in the seventh game and landed a volley winner at the net for set points.
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He seized the first with another volley winner, rattling off five games and completing the opener in 22 minutes! Jannik extended the first game of the second set with a forehand winner and created a break chance. Daniel denied it with a forced error and held with another to end his downfall.
The Italian grabbed the second game with a powerful serve and made a push on the return in the next one. He notched a break at 30, moving a set and a break up and closer to the finish line.
World no. 1 landed two winners at a deuce in the fourth game and stepped in on the return in the next one. Sinner created four break points and Daniel saved them with fine hitting, holding and remaining in touch. World no. 1 grabbed the sixth game with a volley winner and landed an ace two games later for a 5-3 advantage.
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The Japanese served to stay in the match in the ninth game and produced a comfortable hold, extending his chances. However, Jannik sealed the deal with a powerful serve in the tenth game, moving over the top and making a winning start.
