Jannik Sinner began his title defence of the Sofia Open on Thursday by defeating qualifier Egor Gerasimov 6-2, 7-6(3) to advance to the quarter-finals.
Sinner, currently 11th in the FedEx ATP Race to Turin, is chasing points this week in a bid to qualify for the Nitto ATP Finals, which will be held on home soil. The Italian now boasts a 34-17 record in 2021, bouncing back from a four-match losing streak by winning 10 of his past 13 matches, which included a title in Washington.
“I think this year what I have done was good, with some ups and downs,” said Sinner. “Every week when I play it’s trying to understand something new, trying to learn something new.”
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Sinner won on his third match point, after Gerasimov saved two in the previous game. He improves his ATPHead2Head lead over the 28-year-old Belarusian to 2-0, having won their previous encounter earlier this year in Barcelona.
The 20-year-old was clinical on serve, winning 81 per cent of first-serve points and saving seven of the eight break points he faced. Gerasimov gained his lone break to lead 5-4 and serve for the second set, but Sinner broke straight back and took the set in a tie-break.
The Italian won his maiden ATP Tour title at the Sofia Open in 2020, where he beat Vasek Pospisil in a three-set thriller to lift the trophy.
Up next for Sinner in his effort to retain the title is the in-form Australian James Duckworth, who defeated Benoit Paire earlier Thursday 6-4, 6-4. The ATPHead2Head between the two stands at 1-1, with Duckworth defeating Sinner in straight sets in their most-recent meeting in Toronto.
“I’m trying to play my best tennis,” Sinner said. “Obviously it’s not going to be easy, but I’m very happy to be back here.”