Jannik Sinner came back from one set down to beat Alex De Minaur 6-7 (3-7) 6-4 6-1 after 2 hours and 11 minutes in the re-match of the Next Gen ATP Finals in Milan last year to reach the semifinal of the Sofia Open.
Sinner won 80% of his first serve points and saved six of the seven break points.
De Minaur got the first break point in the third game of the opening set, but Sinner got the break back. De Minaur saved a break point in the sixth game to draw level to 3-3. In the tie-break De Minaur got the first mini-break to take a 3-1 lead, but Sinner broke back to draw level to 3-3. De Minaur got his second mini-break with a backhand winner on the seventh point to take a 7-3 win in the tie-break.
The second set went on serve in the first six games without facing any break points. Sinner came back from 0-40 down in the seventh game to convert his second break point at deuce for 4-3 lead after three deuces.
De Minaur saved two break-back points in the eighth game. Sinner fended two break points to hold serve after two deuces to win the first set 6-4.
Sinner broke serve in the first and third games with a series of backhand down the line winners to open up a 5-1 lead. Sinner sealed the decider 6-1 with his third break, when De Minaur fired a forehand beyond the baseline.
“The key in the big moments is the balance on court, trying to understand how big I should go. The important points, when you serve, try to serve with the first serve in and maybe then it is a little bit easier to win the point. I was just focusing on that and trying to let him play in one corner, because he moves very fast. My tactic was to stay in one corner and play a little bit faster than him”, said Sinner.
Sinner set up a semifinal against this year’s Nur Sultan finalist Adrian Mannarino, who advanced to his second semifinal in three weeks with a 6-2 1-6 6-3 win against Moldova’s Radu Albot with three breaks of serve and seven aces. Mannarino went up a double break in the first and fifth games to win the first set 6-2. Albot bounced back by breaking twice to win the second set 6-1. Mannarino converted his second break point in the fourth game and saved two break points to hold serve after two deuces. Albot saved a break point in both the sixth and eighth games. Mannarino served out the win on his first match point. “Adrian is a tough player, a lefty, who is serving well and moving well in long rallies. It is going to be a physical match. I have to talk to my coach about how I am going to play tomorrow and try to be prepared”, said Mannarino.
