Sinner beats Giron in 3 sets and is in the round of 16

From our correspondent Federica Cocchi

January 18, 2025 (changed at 11:42) – MELBOURNE (AUSTRALIA)

Everything smooth. Like an aperitif at 7pm in Melbourne. Jannik Sinner beats the American Marcos Giron in three sets 6-3 6-4 6-2 and settles into the round of 16, where the winner between Rune and Kecmanovic awaits, on the court tonight. Jannik, who had spent the afternoon training practicing only forehands and backhands, knew that with Giron he might have to manage slightly longer rallies. In short, the usual Jannik, a bit of a nerd, who takes home a good grade and passes to the next round: “But if I still want to move forward in the tournaments I have to improve” he declares at the end of the match, for a change.

the match

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In the first set, the world number 1 immediately takes the lead with a break in the second game, confirming it for 3-0 and everything goes smoothly until the world number 1, at the moment of closing, complicates life. With two forehand free throws and a missed backhand volley, he gives Giron the break point, but cancels it with a first winner. With the advantages, he gets another set point and closes 6-3. Second set more balanced, with Sinner continuing to contain Giron’s attack attempts, in a positive phase after the complicated start.

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the key

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Just as he had tried in training, Jannik in the 5th game puts pressure on him point after point, forcing him to make mistakes and earning two break opportunities. Sinner capitalizes on the first, two break points. Sinner capitalizes already on the first game and goes up 3-2, in turn canceling a break point in the next game. In the 10th game, however, he broke the 31-year-old American’s serve again, closing the second set 6-4 in less than three quarters of an hour. Third set in which, for the first time, the number 1 in the world gives up the serve after taking the lead in the first game, the joy of parity lasts a moment for Giron who suffers the reaction of Jannik who breaks for 3-2 . In the 7th game he breaks the serve again after Giron had been treated for blisters at the changeover. Now Sinner will have dinner watching Rune’s match against Kecmanovic as an interested spectator, waiting for his rival in the round of 16.