Cincinnati, Aug 10 (IANS) Jannik Sinner made a commanding return to the ATP Tour, dismantling Daniel Elahi Galan 6-1, 6-1 in just 59 minutes to launch his title defence at the Cincinnati Open.
It was the world No. 1’s quickest victory of the season and a statement performance in his first match since lifting the Wimbledon trophy last month.
“Matches are always different than practice, so I didn’t know what to expect,” said Sinner, who now leads Galan 3-0 in their Lexus ATP Head2Head. “But I’m very happy. The ball flies here—you have to serve precisely, with good pace.”
Wearing a sleeve on his right arm following a Wimbledon fall, the 23-year-old Italian showed no signs of discomfort. He dominated from the baseline, landing 13 of 14 first-serve points in the opening set and hitting seven winners to just five unforced errors, per Infosys ATP Stats.
The second set saw Sinner blend power with finesse, delighting the Cincinnati crowd with a disguised drop shot in the third game before sealing victory with clinical efficiency. “I served where I wanted today,” he added. “There’s still room to improve, but I couldn’t have asked for more.”
Now 38-0 against players outside the Top 50 since this event last year, Sinner extended his hard-court winning streak to 22 matches—a run that includes titles at the US Open, Nitto ATP Finals, and Australian Open.
With Carlos Alcaraz still leading the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin, Sinner is eyeing not just another Masters 1000 title, but also the coveted year-end No. 1. A successful title defence in Cincinnati would put him in historic company—no man has repeated here since Roger Federer in 2014-15.
–IANS
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