World No. 1 Jannik Sinner began his ATP Finals campaign in dominant fashion, defeating Australia’s Alex de Minaur (World No. 8) in straight sets, 6-3, 6-4, in Turin. This marked Sinner’s return to competition since his October victory at the 6 Kings Slam and subsequent withdrawal from the Paris Masters due to illness.
The Italian star, playing in front of a supportive home crowd, displayed resilience and precision despite expressing post-match that he aims to fine-tune his serve to make a deep run in the tournament.
The match began with the two players trading games, with De Minaur securing the first break to lead 2-1. Sinner responded immediately, breaking back and holding serve to go up 3-2. Sinner’s momentum continued as he broke De Minaur again, pushing the score to 5-2 before De Minaur held serve once more. However, Sinner closed out the first set confidently.
In the second set, the competition remained tight, with both players holding serve to 2-2. The match was briefly interrupted by a medical emergency in the crowd at the Inalpi Arena. When play resumed, Sinner regained his rhythm, securing a crucial break to lead 3-2. Both players continued to hold serve, with Sinner ultimately serving out the match. Leading 40-0 in the final game, Sinner fired an ace to seal the win.
Both players have two more matches to go in the Ilie Nastase Group, where they’ll face off against Daniil Medvedev and Taylor Fritz. Sinner’s impressive opening performance signals his determination to claim the ATP Finals title on home soil.
