Top-ranked Sinner fights back to launch China Open title defence

AFP | Beijing

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World number one Jannik Sinner fought back to launch the defence of his China Open title with a 4-6, 6-3, 6-1 win over 28th-ranked Chilean Nicolas Jarry yesterday. The US Open champion next faces veteran three-time Grand Slam winner Stan Wawrinka, who is a wildcard entry in Beijing, or Russia’s Roman Safiullin.

The 23-year-old Sinner arrived in the Chinese capital fresh from winning in New York for his second major title, having triumphed at the Australian Open at the start of the year.

With victory also at the Cincinnati Masters before the US Open, Sinner faced Jarry in red-hot form and on an 11-match winning streak. Sinner made that 12, but not before suffering a scare. “In the first set, I was struggling to return his serve and he broke me,” Sinner said.