Italian teen sensation Jannik Sinner saw off Albert Ramos-Vinolas in straight sets 6-3, 6-4 to set up a first career meeting with Novak Djokovic.
The #NextGenATP Italian made a slow start to his first-round match, but he recovered quickly to defeat 2017 finalist Albert Ramos-Vinolas 6-3, 6-4 on Court des Princes. Sinner rallied from 0-2 in the first set and broke serve on three occasions to improve to 15-5 this season.
On the other hand, world number 5 Stefano Tsitsipas too made a winning start to the Monte Carlo Masters on Tuesday after the world No 5 cruised past Aslan Karatsev 6-3, 6-4, and into the last 16.
Sinner ready for the Djokovic test-
Sinner has passed many tests with flying colours during his young career. But his second-round clash against Djokovic at the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters will be one of his toughest tasks yet. The tournament debutant will try to stun the 36-time ATP Masters 1000 champion, and he’s excited for the opportunity.
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“I will definitely have a game plan,” Sinner said. “I know who is on the other side. Obviously, it’s a tough match I think from my side because I don’t know him that well. [I have] seen him a lot on TV, watching matches. But when you play against [him] in a match, it’s different. I’m looking forward to that match.
“It’s a good test for my side to see where I am, especially where I can improve. I know where I can improve, but this kind of match can give me a lot. I just try to go there with the right mentality like in every match.”
The top-seeded Djokovic, who is pursuing a third title at this tournament, is certainly not taking the challenge lightly. The 33-year-old has watched Sinner quickly ascend, and the Italian can continue that climb with one of his biggest victories yet.
“In that period of two, three years, when he was a junior coming up, we trained a lot actually in Piatti’s academy, here in Monaco, both [on] hard courts, clay courts,” Djokovic said. “I have seen his development, so to say, his trajectory, his road to where he is at the moment. It’s really impressive.
Corona chaos in Monte Carlo-
World tennis number two Daniil Medvedev has tested positive for COVID-19 and has been withdrawn from this week’s Monte Carlo Masters, the ATP says.
“It’s a big disappointment not to play in the Monte-Carlo,” Medvedev said in the statement.” My focus is now on recovery and I look forward to getting back on tour as soon and as safely as possible,” he added.
The ATP on Monday posted a video of Medvedev’s practice session in Monte Carlo with Spaniard Rafael Nadal.
The governing body did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Nadal’s participation in the tournament.
Nadal is scheduled to start his campaign against F. Delbonis of Argentina at 1:30 PM local time today.
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