Fourth seed Jannik Sinner of Italy beat Richard Gasquet 6-3 5-7 6-2 in an entertaining match in the first round of Halle on Tuesday.
The match lasted for around three hours, as the 21-year-old Italian managed to scrape through in the end. However, Gasquet did not give up without a fight and succeeded in making a match of it.
Sinner will face compatriot Lorenzo Sonego in the second round on Thursday. He will start as the favorite in that match, but Sonego is well capable of springing in a surprise.
Jannik Sinner’s crosscourt backhand proved to be an effective shot:
Sinner hit his crosscourt backhand really effectively throughout the match. It proved to be his most lethal shot, as Gasquet often struggled to stretch towards his left side.
The Italian had the more powerful serve and groundstrokes. Once he got the crucial break of serve in the first set, it was always going to be difficult for the 36-year-old Frenchman to make a comeback.
Sinner then managed to serve out the first set with aplomb and thus draw the first blood.
Gasquet rolled back the years in the second set, but Sinner was too powerful in the end:
To his credit, Gasquet bounced back really well in the second set. The veteran Frenchman played some quality drop shots and drop volleys. He also played the angles well to make up for the lack of power in his forehand and unleashed his famous down-the-line backhand occasionally.
He broke Sinner in the 12th game of the second set to win it and draw level. However, the Italian’s superior fitness and power was be decisive in the final set. He broke the Frenchman twice in it to seal the fate of the match.
The Italian won 79% and 56% of the points on his first and second serves, respectively, which was significantly better than the Frenchman’s corresponding numbers of 63% and 48%, respectively.
Main Photo Credit: Peter van den Berg-USA TODAY Sports
