Tommy Paul battled past Jannik Sinner 6-3 3-6 6-3 to reach the quarter final at the Cinch Championships in Eastbourne. Paul has beaten a seeded player en route to an ATP Tour cross court quarter final for the second consecutive week.
Sinner was playing in his first match since retiring from the Roland Garros fourth round match against Andrey Rublev due to a knee injury.
Each set was decided by a break. Paul saved three break points in the first game of the decider to hold serve and did not face another break point in the next games.
The first set went on serve in the first six games before Paul broke serve to take a 5-3 lead. The US player saved the first break point he faced in the ninth game to serve out the first set 6-3.
Sinner earned his first break point in the fourth game of the second set, but he sent his backhand into the net. Sinner broke for the first time in the match in the fourth game to take a 3-1 lead and held his next service games to close out the second set 6-3.
Paul saved three break points to hold serve in the longest game of the match featuring 18 points. Both players went on serve until the eighth game when Sinner saved the first two break points. Paul converted his third break point, as Sinner made a double fault in the eighth game and served out the win on his first match point.
Paul avenged her recent defeat against Sinner, who won their only previous match 6-7 (4-7) 7-6 (7-4) 6-3 at the Madrid Mutua Open. “I am pumped to be on the grass right now. Honestly, I think it suits my game. I came out strong and focused from the beginning of the match. He got a good break on me in the second set and that’s what took us to the third. That’s what it was, just some small details here and there”, said Paul.
