Jannik Sinner moved past Lorenzo Sonego 6-2 6-4 in 93 minutes to reach the quarter final at the Erste Bank Open at the Wiener Stadthalle in Vienna. Sinner remains unbeaten in his 11 head-to-head matches against Italian players.
Sinner converted the first of his two break points with a volley in the third game to take a 2-1 lead. He held serve at 15 to open up a 3-1 lead. Sonego saved two break points in the fifth game to hold serve for 2-3. Sinner rallied from 15-40 down to earn his second break in the seventh game. Sonego saved a set point in the eighth game. Sinner fended off a break point with a forehand before converting his second set point at deuce to close out the first set 6-2 after 43 minutes.
Sonego held serve in the first game of the second set with two aces. Sinner won his first service game at love for 1-1. Sonego won three consecutive points from 15-30 down in the third game to hold serve. Sinner held serve at deuce in the fourth game for 2-2.
Sinner faced the only break point of the second set in the sixth game when he hit a forehand volley into the net, but Sonego did not convert it as he sent his forehand long.
Sonego saved two break points in the seventh game, but Sinner converted his third chance to take a 4-3 lead.
Sonego held his serve at deuce in the ninth game to close his gap for 4-5. Sinner served out the win on his second match point to extend his lead to 4-0 in his head-to-head series against Sonego in Montpellier, Halle and at the US Open.
Sinner converted three of his seven break points he earned and won 72% of his first break points.
“I am learning a lot of things and I am happy that I am serving so well. I don’t know if it’s the best period of my career, but I am learning to deal with the most difficult moments of the match”, said Sinner.
Sinner will take on either Frances Tiafoe or Gael Monfils in the quarter final. The Italian 22-year-old has improved his record to 21-4 in his matches since July. This streak includes his first Masters 1000 title in Toronto and the ATP 500 trophy in Beijing.
