Last year’s Next Gen ATP Finals champion Jannik Sinner has claimed his maiden ATP title with a 6-4 3-6 7-6 (7-3) win over Vasek Pospisil at the Sofia Open.
Sinner won 75 % of his first serve points and withstood 14 aces. He earned an early break and served well to clinch the opening set with his fourth ace of the match.
Sinner went up a set and a break in the first game of the second set, but Pospisil broke twice in the second and sixth games to take a 4-2 lead. The 30-year-old Canadian player served well sealed the second set 6-3 with his third love service of the second set.
Sinner saved two in the first game of the third set, which went on serve with no breaks en route to the tie-breaks. Sinner claimed two mini-breaks on the sixth and tenth points to close out the tie-break 7-3.
The Italian 19-year star has become the youngest player to clinch an ATP Tour title since Kei Nishikori in Delray Beach in 2008. With the first ATP Tour title of his career Sinner has moved up to a career best ranking of world number 37.
Meanwhile, Pospisil has lost his second final this year after finishing runner-up in Montpellier.
“I thank my team and organizers, who made this tournament possible and the crowd. I hope to return to Sofia next year,” said the new champion. “Vasek, I hope that 2021 will be a great year for you. We may clash in another great clash in the future. I am very happy, but I know that there is a long way and this is just the beginning. I hope it is the first of many titles. The place where you win the first title is always special. It’s better to win a hard-fought battle than a 6-1 6-1 match. I am happy to win a title in the same week of the year in which I won the Next Gen title last year. I am pleased that I had the chance to meet many children here. I want to be a role model for them”.
Sinner received congratulations from Italian Sports Minister Vincenzo Spadafora. In the mid of a difficult year affected by the COVID-19 pandemic Sinner has provided a ray of hope to all Italian tennis fans.
“Jannik, what a talent. He made a great achievement. He won the Sofia tournament becoming the youngest Italian player to win an ATP title. Congratulations to Jannik!” Spadafora wrote.
