Italian 18-year-old wild card Jannik Sinner cruised through to 4-0 4-2 4-1 win over Swede Mikael Ymer in just 56 minutes to become the first player to reach the semifinals of the the Next Gen ATP Finals at the Allianz Cloud in Milan. The match was the second fastest in tournament history.
Sinner held serve at love in the opening game and broke in the second game to open up a 2-0 lead. He held serve at love to race out to a 3-0 lead and closed out the first set with his second break in the fourth game after 12 minutes.
In the second set Ymer earned two break points in the third game, but Sinner fended them off with winners. Sinner saved another break point at 2-2.
Sinner won three of the four games that went to the deciding point in the second set, including a break at 3-2 on Ymer’s serve in the sixth game.
Sinner saved two break points in the first game of the third set with two winners. The Italian teenager broke serve in the second game at 30 after a forehand error from Ymer to race out to a 3-0 lead, but he did not convert a match point in the fourth game. Sinner held serve at 30 in the fifth game to wrap up the match.
“I felt well on court today. It was a perfect start and I was serving well. I tried to push the ball immediately. I am very happy. I am just trying my best. The younger guys in Italy are all improving a lot, so hopefully I am giving a little bit of inspiration”,said Sinner.
Ymer must win against Frances Tiafoe to keep his hopes of qualifying for the semifinal.
