Sinner makes "lightning fast" start at Cincinnati Open

Taking to the court for the first time since beating Carlos Alcaraz to win his maiden Wimbledon title last month, the ATP world No. 1 produced a devastating performance as he dispatched Daniel Elahi Galan 6-1, 6-1 to reach the third round in just 59 minutes.

“Matches are always different from training sessions, so I didn’t know exactly what to expect today. Overall I’m very happy. It’s not easy to play here, the ball is very fast. You have to serve accurately, but also have good speed if you want to go far in the tournament,” Sinner said after taking a 3-0 lead against Galan.

Despite wearing a sling on his right arm — something he has used since his Wimbledon fourth-round exit last month — Sinner played confidently in his return to Cincinnati, hitting seven winners against five unforced errors and dropping just one of 13 first-serve points in a blistering opening set.

In the second set, Sinner began to add some style to his signature steady play, highlighted by a cleverly disguised drop shot in the third game before finishing the match with force.

“Today I felt like I served where I wanted to. There’s still a lot to improve on, but for a first-round match I couldn’t have asked for more. I’m happy to be back here, the fans were fantastic,” Sinner added.

With a 38-0 record against players ranked outside the top 50 since Cincinnati in 2023, Sinner has extended his hard-court winning streak to 22 matches. The streak, which began after losing to Alcaraz in the final in Beijing last September, includes victories at the US Open, Nitto ATP Finals and Australian Open.

Sinner and Alcaraz will be locked in a fierce battle for the year's number one title for the remaining months. Alcaraz, who plays in Cincinnati on August 11, currently leads Sinner by 1,500 points in the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin.

Sinner's next opponent at the ATP Masters 1000 Cincinnati is Gabriel Diallo. Sinner is aiming to become the first man to successfully defend his title at the tournament since Roger Federer in the 2014-15 season.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/the-thao/sinner-khoi-dau-than-toc-tai-cincinnati-open-20250810122752791.htm