They say the second time is the charm; Italian Jannik Sinner proved it right on Sunday by taking the better of fifth seed Alex de Minaur in Rotterdam Ahoy, earning the ABN AMRO Open title in his second consecutive championship match at the ATP 500 tournament.
Top seed Jannik Sinner outlasted No. 1 Australian player Alex de Minaur 7-5, 6-4 after two hours and five minutes in Sunday’s final to earn his second title of the season at the ABN AMRO Open held in Rotterdam, the first since achieving a maiden career Grand Slam crown at the Australian Open, late in January.
After the encounter, he reflected: “I am proud of the level I played the whole week. We have been in tough situations but handled it the right way. We will always try to improve; it is the most important.”
Entering the final on a 14-match winning streak, which he would eventually extend to 15, the 22-year-old will rise to a new career high on Monday, becoming the first Italian man to be World No. 3.
The San Candido native rallied in a tight opener against his all-court adversary, who delivered his trademark speed and intensity from the offset, leading to breathtaking extended baseline exchanges for the delight of the crowd that packed Rotterdam Ahoy.
Sinner found an edge to convert his first break point, making good use of his deep backhand, holding to take a 3-2 lead.
He would then serve for the match at 5-4, but the Sydney-born, who saved four set points across a monumental 16-minute game, broke him to draw level at 5-5.
Nonetheless, the 12-time ATP titlist moved on with consistency, striking the ball cleanly, breaking straight back, and holding to close out the first set 7-5 in 64 minutes.
The edgy match went into a second set decided by small margins.
Restless, the 25-year-old Aussie took a 2-1 lead, stepping up the pressure over his opponent, who double-faulted at 30-30, which forced Sinner to rally, fending off two break points to hold at 2-2.
However, the drama was about to reach a new level in the fifth game, with the Italian ferocious ball-striking finding no way through the wall De Minaur built on the other side of the net.
With brilliance, the World No. 11 blocked two break points chances throughout a 23-minute battle. And regardless, Sinner found a way to break, opening a short-lived 3-2 advantage.
In the blink of an eye, a trade of breaks exchanged set the way for Sinner to earn a crucial seventh game and never look back.
Addressing the championship contest, the brand-new Rotterdam winner commented: “I felt like the match was good in one way. We both played well.
“I could have served a little bit better, but those are the details. In the future, that could make me stronger. Amazing week. It has been a joy to play in Rotterdam.”
He won 78 percent of the first serve points, saving six of eight break-point opportunities while converting four of eight chances he produced.
In addition, he fired 22 winners to 12 unforced errors compared to the Australian player’s 23 and 13, respectively.
Next, the US swing awaits, setting off the first Masters 1000 of the season, the BNP Paribas Open staged in Indian Wells, California.
“I felt like I was trying to put 100 percent effort into everything I’ve done,” he added.
“It’s going to start again from zero at Indian Wells, so I am already trying to improve, and let’s see what’s coming.”
