Australian Open champion Jannik Sinner continued his unbeaten begin to the 12 months with a dominant victory over Thanasi Kokkinakis, as second seed Carlos Alcaraz dropped the primary set however recovered to win at Indian Wells.
Italian Sinner adopted up his Melbourne triumph by profitable one other title in Rotterdam and, in his first match as world No 3, eased to a 6-3 6-0 win in opposition to Australian Kokkinakis.
Together with his three singles victories in guiding Italy to Davis Cup success final November, Sinner has now received 16 matches in a row and 26 of his previous 27 matches total.
Sinner fought off Kokkinakis’ solely break level at 2-2 within the opening set with a forehand winner and broke serve for a 5-3 benefit.
After capturing the primary set the Australian Open champion by no means seemed again, dropping simply 5 factors throughout the second set to e book a third-round assembly with both twenty fifth seed Jan-Lennard Struff or Croatian Borna Coric.
Regardless of being in flawless type this season with a 13-0 report, Sinner insisted he was not invincible.
“I’m not unbeatable, I’m just well-prepared,” he stated. “I worked really hard to be in this position. Obviously it’s a position you dream of because winning a Grand Slam, that’s everyone’s dream, but you travel here, the conditions are different and then you have to find a way somehow.”
Alcaraz fights again after nervy first set
Second seed Alcaraz overcame a sluggish begin to dispatch Italy’s Matteo Arnaldi 6-7(5) 6-0 6-1 to get his hopes of a title defence within the California desert off to a profitable begin.
The Spaniard didn’t drop a single set within the run-in to the Indian Wells title a 12 months in the past, however dumped a backhand into the online handy the primary set to an impressed Arnaldi below the lights on centre courtroom.
Arnaldi displayed his finest type within the latter phases of the primary set trailing 3-4, earlier than holding his nerve to win the opening tie-break.
Alcaraz quickly discovered his rhythm, nevertheless, enjoying the highly effective and artistic tennis that has made him a two-time Grand Slam champion and fan favorite. He made simply two unforced errors within the second set and continued his momentum within the third.
The second seed will face Felix Auger-Aliassime within the subsequent spherical on Sunday.
“I was nervous in the first set,” stated Alcaraz. “That makes me at some points move different or with less energy. But in the second and the third sets it was totally different.
“My good sport comes out when my power is so excessive.”
Acapulco champion Alex De Minaur raced to a 6-1 6-2 win over Taro Daniel in lower than an hour.
Sixth seed Alexander Zverev additionally cruised to a straight-sets win over Christopher O’Connell, whereas Tallon Griekspoor defeated Yannick Hanfmann 6-3 6-3.
Brazilian qualifier Thiago Seyboth Wild shocked fifteenth seed Karen Khachanov 6-1 7-5, Stefanos Tsitsipas took little greater than an hour to dispatch Lucas Pouille and American sixteenth seed Ben Shelton escaped wild card Jakub Mensik 4-6 6-3 6-4.
Brits in motion on Saturday
Emma Raducanu returns to motion when the previous US Open champion takes on thirtieth seed Dayana Yastremska at 7pm on Court docket 3 – reside on Sky Sports activities Tennis.
British No 1 and 2021 champion Cameron Norrie faces world No 55 Lorenzo Sonego on the similar time over on Court docket 4.
Methods to watch play on Sky Sports activities Tennis
Sky Sports activities has confirmed a brand new residence for tennis within the UK and Eire, with Sky Sports activities Tennis on Sky and NOW, making tennis content material accessible all day, day-after-day for followers.
Sky Sports activities will broadcast extra reside tennis than wherever else, bringing over 4,000 matches from greater than 80 tournaments a 12 months on the ATP and WTA Excursions, in addition to full protection of the US Open, all solely reside.
Non-Sky subscribers can stream reside matches with a NOW Sports activities Day and Month Membership, by way of Sky Sports activities Tennis, Sky Sports activities Area, and Sky Sports activities Combine channels.
For additional entry, followers may also have the ability to comply with their favorite gamers and acquire deeper insights from each Excursions by way of Sky Sports activities Information, the Sky Sports activities app, on SkySports.com and by way of Sky Sports activities social channels.
Get Sky Sports activities on WhatsApp!
Now you can begin receiving messages and alerts for the newest breaking sports activities information, evaluation, in-depth options and movies from our devoted WhatsApp channel!
Discover out extra right here
Watch the WTA and ATP Excursions all through 2024 on Sky Sports activities Tennis. Stream Sky Sports activities Tennis and extra with a NOW Sports activities Month Membership – simply £21 a month for 12 months. No contract, cancel anytime.