Jannik Sinner edged past Miomir Kecmanovic 7-6 (12-10) 6-4 to clinch his second win of the day and got through to the semifinal at the Great Ocean Road Open in Melbourne. Earlier today Sinner beat Aljaz Bedene 7-6 (8-6) 6-2 in the Round of 16. Sinner could meet Stefano Travaglia in a potential all-Italian final.
Sinner has extended his winning streak to eighth consecutive match wins, including his five consecutive winning matches en route to his maiden ATP title at the Sofia Open. Sinner had already beaten Kecmanovic in four sets in the the semifinal of the Next Gen ATP Finals.
Sinner hit 12 aces and saved six of the eight break points he faced. The Italian 19-year-old player did not convert eight set points he faced.
Sinner earned his first break in the fourth game of the first set to open up a 3-1 lead, but Kecmanovic broke straight back at deuce in the next game. Sinner did not convert three set points at 6-5 in the 12th game.
In the tie-break Sinner went up a 6-2 lead, but Kezmanovic saved four set points to draw level to 6-6. Sinner wasted his fifth break point, but he had to save three set points at 7-8 7-9 and 9-10. Sinner converted his 10th set point to close out the tie-break 12-10. Sinner hit eight aces and won 74% of his first service games in the first set.
Sinner went up a break in the third game of the second set to take a 2-1 lead, but Kecmanovic broke straight back. Sinner earned his second break in the seventh game, but he had to save two break points in the eighth and tenth games before claiming the win on his first match point in just under two hours.
“Every tournament is different. Every day and match is different. Sometimes you feel great. Sometimes you feel tired. Sometimes you have to pain somewhere. So every day is different. Today was different, playing two matches in one day. It’s a long day. It’s a long day obviously. I am happy that I got through: in the Futures tournaments I often played two matches in the same day. It was a return to the past. Kecmanovic stayed on court for three hours in the previous match, but he played very well against me. I am happy with my level, especially in the second match.”, said Sinner.
Sinner has been drawn against Denis Shapovalov in a blockbuster first round clash at next week’s Australian Open.
“I am looking forward to playing against Shapovalov at the Australian Open. I twill be an exciting match. There are a lot of rising stars, like Shapovalov, Auger Aliassime, Kecmanovic and Alcaraz. Roger, Novak and Rafa are at another level, but Rublev, Thiem, Medvedev and Tsitsipas are getting closer to the Big 3. Last year I came here with the wrong attitude after winning the Next Gen Finals in Milan, but I have learnt a lot in the past year. In 2020 I played at the Australian Open for the first time without getting through the quaiifiying round. I did not expect to win, but I wanted to play better. The most important thing is to continue training day after day”.
Sinner will face a semifinal against Karen Khachanov, who came back from one set down to beat Botic Van de Zandschulp 6-7 (6-8) 7-5 6-3 after 2 hours and 36 minutes. In the first set Van de Zandschulp earned an early break in the opening game to take a 1-0 lead. Khachanov broke back in the sixth game to draw level to 3-3. Van de Zandschulp rallied from 2-4 to win the tie-break 8-6. Khachanov broke three times in the 11th game and in the first and ninth games to seal the second and third sets.
Khachanov rallied from two sets down to beat Sinner 3-6 6-7 (7-9) 6-2 6-0 7-6 (7-4) in 3 hours and 44 minutes in their only head-to-head match at last year’s US Open.
Italy’s Stefano Travaglia converted five of his six break points in his 3-6 6-3 7-5 win over this year’s Delray Beach winner Hubert Hurkacz, who started the 2021 season with a 6-0 winning record. Earlier today Travaglia had beaten this year’s Antalya finalist Alexander Bublik 6-1 7-5. Travaglia reached his first ATP Tour semifinal.
Hurkacz went up a 3-0 lead with a break in the second game of the first set. Travaglia broke back in the fifth game at deuce on his first chance to draw level to 3-3. Hurkacz converted his third break point in the eighth game to win the first set 6-3 after 29 minutes.
Travaglia saved two break ponts in a 12-minute first game of the second set. Both players went on serve until the eighth game, when Travaglia earned a break to win the second set 6-3.
Both players traded breaks twice in the third set. Travaglia went down a break to trail 1-3 in the third set, but he broke back in the fifth game. The Italian player earned the decisive break in the 11th game at 30, as Hurkacz sent his forehand wide.
“It was a really complicated day because we had to play two matches in one day. It was really tough, but I think I adapted very good, and I played my best tennis today, especially in the third set against Hurkacz”, said Travaglia.
Travaglia set up a semifinal against Brazil’s Thiago Monteiro, who followed up his 7-6 (7-3) 6-3 win against Spanish teenager Carlos Alcaraz with a 6-4 6-4 win over Jordan Thompson.
In the doubles tournament Ivan Dodig and Filip Polasek came back from one set down in their 5-7 6-4 10-7 win over Roberto Carballes Baena and Pablo Cuevas.
Dodig and Polasek will take on Marcus Daniell and Michael Venus, who beat Federico Delbonis and Artem Sitak 7-6 (8-6) 6-2.
Marcelo Arevalo and Matwe Middelkoop beat Robin Haase and Sam Querrey 6-4 6-4 to reach the quarter final. Matthew Ebden and John Patrick Smith beat Luke Bambridge and Dominic Inglot 6-4 6-4 to book their spot in the quarter final.
