Any professional tennis player has extraordinary shots to contend with, but mental strength is an indispensable virtue that often marks the difference between great tennis players and the best.
In his debut as the new world number 1, Jannik Sinner provided another example of why the Italian is at the forefront of the new generation of tennis players along with Carlos Alcarazboth called to fight tirelessly for all the titles of grand slam.
The transition from clay to grass is not easy and, in the first matches, surprises are more common as differences in level dissolve during the adaptation of players from one surface to another.
Sinner had a good scare at its premiere on Halle ATP (Germany) in the view of Tallon Griekspoorranked 27th in the world and a tough nut for anyone: 6-7 (8), 6-3 and 6-2 after 2h-22′ of play.
Jannik dominated, leading 5-1 in the initial tiebreak and, at 6-4, he had two set points to get on the scoreboard, but the Dutchman saved the situation and took the first set after scoring 8-10 tie breakers.
Sinner took the blow without flinching and, at 2-2 in the second set, with five points in a row, he raised 0-40 which would have been more difficult for him had Griekspoor taken advantage of it. Overcome the irritation, Jannik broke the next (4-2), also adorned by a real point.
From that moment, the Sinner continued to walk toward victory. “It was definitely mentally difficult. I was 5-1 up in the first set tiebreak, but this can happen, especially on grass, where things can go very fast. I think I was okay mentally. I struggled in the second set, but this is about getting back the confidence I showed to hopefully also show good tennis in the next round,” said the Italian after his victory.
Despite the scare he had against Griekspoor, Jannik has an impeccable record against the Dutch player, five wins in five games, three this year. The Hungarian Fabian Marozsan24 years old and 45th in the ranking, will be his opponent in the round of 16: this is the first meeting between the two.
Sinner took his season record to 34 wins and just three losses in 37 games, the last in the Roland Garros semifinals against Alcaraz. Champion this season at Australia, Rotterdam and Miamithe Italian is looking for his fourth title of 2024 and the first on grass of his career.
Source: La Verdad
I’m Robert Maynard, and I am a passionate journalist with experience in sports writing. For the last few years, I have been writing for Today Times Live. My main focus has been on sports-related stories and features. With my strong background in journalism and extensive knowledge of the industry, I am able to provide readers with well-crafted pieces that are both informative and engaging.
