Sinner off to winning start in Cincy

Jannik Sinner successfully tested his form after feeling ill last week in Canada, with the top seed advancing into the third round of the Cincinnati masters on Wednesday, 6-4, 7-5 over qualifier Alex Michelsen.

The Italian who turns 23 on Friday has not been at his best in recent months, missing the Paris Olympic with tonsillitis and going out on the Montreal quarter-finals to Andrey Rublev four days ago.

Sinner does not hesitate to admit that h is building for the US Open starting on August 26, with the Cincinnati date a convenient build-up event.

“I’m very happy to be into the next round; I’ve struggled here in past years. But today I stayed positive and that helped in the win.”

Sinner, who missed the Paris Olympics with tonsillitis, and went out last week in the Montreal quarter-finals, admitted:

“I’m not yet at 100 per cent, but the main goal is the US Open. I have one week (after Cincinnati)  to prepare in the best possible way.

“The matches I can play here will help at the Open.”

The winner saved all eight break points he faced while profiting from more than 40 unforced errors from his teenaged American opponent from qualifying rounds.

Sinner is hoping to surpass his modest Cincinnati career best of the third round.

Victory was his 25th of the season. “It was a tough match. I needed to start feeling the conditions and getting used to them.”

There was a reassuring win for ninth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas only day after splitting with his father Apostolos as coach last week in Canada.

The Greek came from a set and 3-1 down to overhaul Jan-Lennard Struff 4-6, 6-4, 6-3. Tsitsipas wrapped up the win with a pair of aces and broke three times from 14 chances..

“I was in a great state of flow on my serve at the end of the match,” he said. “I showed lots of improvement which contributed to my game.

“When I was down I kept on fighting, got the break back and figured out what could work. I took some chances and got myself into the lead.

“I gave a massive push to close it out, mixed up my game and it paid off.”