It wasn’t flamboyant. But the most important thing in a first round of a Grand Slam is to win without putting yourself in too much danger. And that’s what world number 1 Jannik Sinner ultimately achieved, even if he dropped a set on the way to world number 86 Yannick Hanfmann (6-3, 6-4, 3-6, 6-3).
At the finish, the Italian did not always shine, he was tossed around in the game during the first three sets, even having to fend off five break points in the second. But he won in 3 hours, without drawing too much, serving 16 aces on a first serve percentage that could be improved (58%).
He even had to seriously tighten up his grip after losing the third set, where the world number 1 was thoroughly dominated in terms of intentions and strikes by an incisive and hard-hitting German. Because Hanfmann, who did not have very good stats against the Top 5 before this match (one win in seven encounters), played the game bravely from one end of the game to the other.
Matteo Berrettini on the road to Sinner
Against Sinner, who likes nothing more than early ball-taking and high cadence, the German dove into the challenge head first, regularly putting the ATP ranking boss in danger on his serve, especially in the second and third sets (11 break points for two converted by Hanfmann). But Sinner knew how to be “clutch” on the decisive points in the first two sets, before finding a frank quality of service and authority on the court in the fourth set, played under closed roof.
But he will have to do more in the next round. Behind this victorious but somewhat laborious entry, the road will rise for the Italian, undefeated in his costume of world number 1 so far (title in Halle and 6 wins in 6 matches now). It is indeed his compatriot and former finalist at the All England Club in 2021, Matteo Berrettini, who now stands in his way for a tasty duel.
