Reigning Next Gen ATP Finals champion Jannik Sinner bounced back from his defeat against Karen Khachanov in the first round at the US Open with a 6-3 6-2 win over Phillip Kohlschreiber at the Generali Open in Kitzbuhel.
Sinner dropped 11 points in nine service games and was broken once. The Italian rising star converted his four break point chances. He held serve at love in the opening game and in the third game with a forehand winner to take a 2-1 lead. He earned his first break in the sixth game after a forehand error from Kohlschreiber. The German veteran broke back in the seventh game. Sinner broke for the second time in the eighth game to open up a 5-3 lead and closed out the first set at 30 with an ace in the ninth game.
Sinner broke serve at love in the first game of the second set with a return winner and consolidated the lead with a forehand drive-volley winner in the second game. Kohlschreiber fended off a break point in the third game before Sinner earned his second break to open up a 4-1 lead. Sinner held at love and closed out the match with a forehand winner in the eighth game.
“In New York I played well in the first two sets and then after that I went physically a little bit down and lost 7-6 in the fifth set. The first two days were not easy. The day after I went home to Rome. I practised there for two days on clay with my physio and physical coach. We worked very hard to get me back on court as soon as possible, which worked. I am feeling good back on court, which is the most important thing. It is a lot of work that we have done, especially on my back and legs. For every player, it is not easy. That is for sure. Trying to adapt your game as quick as possible, to give yourself a little more space behind the ball. The balli s bouncing higher, the kick serve is working well, so it is obviously different. The rallies are a bit longer, so you have to be ready physically. That is very important”, said Sinner.
Feliciano Lopez beat Pierre Hugues Herbert 6-4 6-3 after 1 hour and 13 minutes. Lopez saved a break point in the third game and earned a break at 5-4 to seal the opening set. The Spanish player broke serve in the sixth game, but Herbert saved a match point in the eighth game.
Lopez saved a break point, as he was serving for match at 5-3, and sealed the win in the ninth game.
Qualifier Marc Andrea Huesler came back to beat Emil Ruusuvuori 3-6 6-4 7-6 (7-2) after two hours and nine minutes.
Ruusuvuori came back from 1-3 down by winning five consecutive games to clinch the first set 6-3. Huesler bounced back in the second set by breaking serve in the fourth game to build up a 5-2 lead.
Ruusuvuori broke back at love at 3-5, but Huesler brke again to win the second set 6-4. Both players traded breaks in the third set and served well in the next eight games to set up a tie-break. Huesler raced out to a 5-0 lead en route to winning the tie-break 7-2.
