Jannik Sinner is back in top form. © APA/afp / PIERO CRUCIATTI

“Exactly what I need”: Sinner very satisfied

Jannik Sinner mastered the first real test of his comeback tour brilliantly. The world number one defeated Argentinian Francisco Cerundolo in the round of 1000 at the Masters XNUMX tournament in Rome. After the match, the Sexten native was full of praise.

14 May 2025

From: leo

Francisco Cerundolo reached the semifinals at the last Masters tournament in Madrid, is eighth in the year-end rankings, and has already won 26 matches this season – just one less than the leader in this ranking, Carlos Alcaraz. These numbers alone were enough to underline the threat posed by the man from Buenos Aires. Sinner was also aware of this and delivered one of his career-best performances on clay.

"He's a tough player," commented the Sexten native after the victory. "In the first set, I had a break advantage, but lost it again in a long game. Afterward, I tried to stay mentally present and be fully committed to every point." Even when he was leading 5-1 in the second set and had three match points, he remained alert. "Because things can change so quickly in tennis. I felt better playing today and raised my level, which I'm very satisfied with," explained the Sexten native.

Numbers of a legend

With this victory, the South Tyrolean once again set incredible records. He became the third-youngest player in history to win his first ten matches of the season in consecutive years. He also equaled a record previously held by Björn Borg and Jimmy Connors. He won 53 of his first 1 matches as world No. 50. He and Lorenzo Musetti are also the first Italian duo since 1984 (Claudio Panatta and Francesco Cancellotti) to reach the quarterfinals of the Rome tournament.

Francisco Cerundolo had to acknowledge Sinner's superiority. © ANSA / FABIO FRUSTACI

Asked about the long delay caused by the rain, Sinner said: "It was a long day. The conditions were very slow and the match very physical. The crowd carried me today. These are exactly the tests I need after my break." Dealing well with the difficult moments on the court is the key to success. "I feel very grateful to be back."

Sinner, who was treated for a blister on his right foot at the beginning of the second set, now needs to do the right things to recover. "Let's see how I get up tomorrow. The day off will help me be in top shape for the quarterfinals on Thursday," said Sinner, who also spoke of a tough mental test. "These moments will help me find my rhythm again."

Sinner's quarterfinal matchup has yet to be determined. His potential opponents, Casper Ruud (ATP 7) and Jaume Munar (ATP 66), will face each other on Wednesday afternoon.