Jannik Sinner, currently ranked second in the world, made a resounding comeback at the Erste Bank Open in Vienna, decisively defeating Daniel Altmaier 6-0, 6-2 in a brisk 58 minutes. This victory marked Sinner’s swiftest win of the season following his recent retirement during the third round in Shanghai.
Reflecting on his performance, Sinner expressed satisfaction, stating, “I’m very happy about today’s performance, starting the tournament in a very positive way, not only game-wise but feeling wise.” The former champion in Vienna demonstrated none of the physical setbacks he encountered in China. Instead, he is now focused on narrowing the gap between himself and Carlos Alcaraz in the race for the year-end number one ranking. With Alcaraz taking a break this week, Sinner aims to capitalize by securing the title in Vienna.
Sinner delivered a dominant display, hitting 19 winners while committing only seven unforced errors, and he faced no real threats on his serve throughout the match. His next challenge will come from compatriot Flavio Cobolli, who emerged victorious over Tomas Machac with a score of 7-6(6), 6-2.
In another notable match, Daniil Medvedev, fresh off his title in Almaty, battled past Nuno Borges with a final score of 6-4, 6-7(7), 6-2, maintaining his hopes for a spot in the ATP Finals in Turin. Medvedev encountered difficulties, allowing two match points to slip away in the second-set tiebreak but ultimately secured his progression.
The Russian, who triumphed in Vienna in 2022, currently stands at 13th in the Race to Turin and could face Lorenzo Musetti—who’s holding the eighth and last qualifying position—should both advance to the quarterfinals. However, Medvedev must first navigate a challenging match against Corentin Moutet, who recently defeated Damir Dzumhur 6-3, 6-1. Meanwhile, Musetti has to contend with Tomas Martin Etcheverry, the victor over wild card Nicola Budkov Kjaer with a score of 6-3, 6-3.
Matteo Berrettini also advanced to the second round by easing past Alexei Popyrin, 7-6(5), 6-3. Berrettini’s next challenge comes in the form of Cameron Norrie, whom he has bested in their previous encounters.
The day’s play also saw Alex de Minaur secure a spot in the quarterfinals after defeating Austrian wild card Filip Misoli 6-4, 6-4. The first player to reach that stage was Tallon Griekspoor, who edged out Brandon Nakashima with a narrow 7-6(4), 7-6(2) win; he will now wait to see whether he faces Alexander Zverev or qualifier Matteo Arnaldi in the next round.
