Jannik Sinner opened his Cincinnati Open campaign with a victory but he had to work hard for it.
After Sinner failed to defend his Canadian Open title, the Italian is in Ohio looking to build some momentum ahead of the US Open.
There are also question marks surrounding the World number one’s fitness after his hip seemed to cause him some discomfort in Canada.
But Sinner has put those doubts to bed for the time being as booked his spot in the next round of the Masters 1000 tournament.
What challenge is Jannik Sinner facing at the Cincinnati Open?
Jannik Sinner took on America’s Alex Michelsen in his first match at the Cincinnati Open.
The Italian saved all eight of his opponent’s break points, which was key as he went on to secure a 6-4, 7-5 victory.
Sinner came through a challenging encounter but this is just the beginning as he continues to battle with his fitness and adjust to the conditions in Ohio.
“It was a tough match. He has already played some matches but for me it was the first match here, so I tried to feel the conditions a bit more,” Sinner said post-match.
“I’m very happy to be in the next round. For me this is a place where I used to struggle a lot in the past years, so let’s see what I can do this time.
“I’m trying to stay in a positive mindset, positive moment, and I think that today also brought me the win. For sure not 100 per cent yet [physically], but I’m trying to get used to these kind of conditions.”
Who will Jannik Sinner play next?
Sinner will now face Jordan Thompson in the next round of the Cincinnati Open.
The Australian began his campaign by coming from a set down to beat Ugo Humbert, before ousting Sebastian Baez in straight sets.
This will be Sinner’s first match against Thompson, who is also playing doubles at the tournament with compatriot Max Purcell.
Sinner will be aiming for his 26th match win on hard courts, and has only two defeats on the surface in 2024 so far.
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