World number one Jannik Sinner survives a scare in his opening match against French qualifier Benjamin Bonzi at the Mutua Madrid Open to move into the next round on Friday.
Top seed Jannik Sinner came through a tough test in his opening match at the Mutua Madrid Open against Frenchman Benjamin Bonzi, whom he overpowered 6-7(6), 6-1, 6-4 in two hours and 20 minutes on Manolo Santana Stadium.
"I struggled quite a lot, but I knew this before the match that it is a very unique court and conditions," he commented courtside. "But I believe every day is different, so hopefully I can improve slightly for the next round.
"I tried to stay calm mentally, and that is why I won today. I have some time tomorrow and will try to use it in a positive way."
With the win, the Italian player extended his winning streak to 18 matches in his bid to become the first man in the series history (since 1990) to win five straight Masters 1000 tournaments.
The 24-year-old showed signs of some physical discomfort, which transpired as early as the first set, setting off an upset alert.
Bonzi, 29, held his ground with authority, fending off all five break points he faced, while winning 79 percent of the points on his first serve to push forward, taking the first set in the tiebreak, saving a set point in the process.
Trailing from a set down, the four-time major champion regrouped, adding pressure from the get-go to eventually convert his first break point in his ninth attempt as his opponent gifted a double fault.
Leading 3-1, Sinner took control of the second set, breaking twice on his way to even the scoreline at one set apiece in just 30 minutes.
On the other side of the net, the 29-year-old from Nimes seemed to be struggling physically, receiving a medical timeout to treat a shoulder issue.
In the decider, both players kicked up a level, resulting in a tight final set with the San Candido native breaking in the fifth game before sealing a hard-fought victory.
Ultimately, the 27-time ATP title holder prevailed in three sets, setting a third-round clash with Danish qualifier Elmer Moller, who was handed a walkover by 32nd seed Gabriel Diallo earlier in the day.
Overall, Sinner fired 38 winners (10 aces) against 27 unforced errors to Bonzi's 21 and 32, respectively.
Moreover, he did not face a break point throughout the encounter.
Shortly after, Czech Vit Kopriva shocked former Madrid champion Andrey Rublev 6-3, 6-4 in one hour and 14 minutes.
Also, former world No. 3 Marin Cilic handed 27th seed Joao Fonseca a walkover into the third round as he withdrew from the event due to illness.