World no. 1 Jannik Sinner is two from two in the pre-Australian Open test matches. After ousting Alexei Popyrin, Sinner faced Stefanos Tsitsipas on Friday night at Rod Laver Arena. The Italian beat the Greek 6-3, 7-6 in an hour and 23 minutes.
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The defending Australian Open champion grabbed a break in the third game of the duel. He served well and wrapped up the first part of the duel with a hold in game nine. They served well in the second set and introduced a tie break.
Stefanos led 5-4 before Jannik stepped in and grabbed the final three points, moving over the top in straight sets.
World no. 1 fired a forehand in the first game of the encounter and created a break chance at 1-0. The Greek denied it with a forehand winner and held after the rival's forehand mistake. Sinner made another push on the return in the fourth game.
He welcomed the opponent's forehand error for a break and a 3-1 advantage. The Italian cemented the lead with a hold at 30 in the fifth game after a forced error. Sinner closed the seventh game with a service winner, moving 5-2 in front.
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The two-time Major winner served for the opener in game nine and held at 30 for 6-3. Jannik held at 15 in the second game of the second set, and they both served well in the upcoming ones. The Italian landed a forehand winner for 3-3 and more drama.
Tsitsipas fired an ace in the ninth game for 5-4, and Sinner responded with a backhand down the line winner in the next one to prolong the set. Stefanos delivered another fine hold in the 11th game, closing it with a forehand winner.
Did Jannik feel the pressure in game 12? No, wrapping it up with a smash winner and introduced a tie break. The Greek claimed a mini-break in the second point before netting a routine forehand at 2-1. The lower-ranked player attacked in the sixth point and moved 4-2 up.
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The former Australian Open finalist hit a costly double fault in the eighth point, bringing world no. 1 back to 4-4. Jannik fired a service winner in the tenth point for 5-5 and repeated that in the next one for 6-5 and a match point.
Sinner converted it after Tsitsipas' double fault, sealing the deal and moving over the top.
