ATp 500 Halle: Sinner comes back from a set in Griekspoor, first victory as ATP n.1

It wasn’t a walk in the park at all, but Jannik Sinner didn’t want to “stain” his debut as world no.1 with a defeat. He fought and suffered against the blue, wasting two set points in the tiebreak of the first set (and a lead of 5 points to 1), overtaking Tallon Griekspoor on the grass of the 500 in Halle with a remarkable crescendo and increasingly intense and effective shots . 6-7 (8) 6-3 6-2 in two hours and twenty-two minutes for Sinner, a victory that opens the doors to the second round, where he meets the Hungarian Fabian Marozsan, and it will be a totally different match. Griekspoor played to the limit of his possibilities, facing the match head on and taking great risks both with his serve (second balls above 180 km/h) and with his groundstrokes. Sinner found it difficult to impose himself, he was patient, finding the best sensations in the match both with his shots and with his movements on the field. The first break point exploited by Jannik at 3-2 in the second set was incredible: a forehand passing touch made a beautiful and impossible dive.

“I was 5-1 in the tiebreak” says Sinner hotly on the court, “he can play very well on grass. In the second set I came back from 0-40 on serve, there I found my confidence again and I grew, I showed good tennis. That point on the break point… I was running to the left, I saw the deviation and I jumped, I don’t know how I did it but it happened, that point also gave me great confidence. Griekspoor is a really great player. Playing as no.1? It’s a great number… but I think I need to improve. The tournament believed in me, I played games as a boy, it was nice to come back. I’m fine and I play without pain.”

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Griekspoor starts by firing on all cylinders, the basic idea is clear: don’t leave Sinner time to lead, at the risk of making mistakes. He wins the game at 30, and also seeks maximum speed in response. Sinner doesn’t find the first serve at all, his exchange shots are quite deep, but it’s not enough to stem his rival’s liveliness. He suffers a nice lunge from Tallon, finds himself 30-40, immediately gets a break point to cancel. A solid counter foot with the forehand from the center saves him. There is a fight to be had, Griekspoor takes big risks and they are rewarded. Finally the Ace arrives, 1 draw. Jannik also gets going in response, finds two good points between power and touch, forces the third game to the advantages. With two serves Griekspoor goes 2-1. In the fourth game Sinner’s serve responds present, and the music changes, a much less complicated game (2-2). The Dutchman wins another good innings, at the change of ends the trainer arrives and intervenes on the left hip of Tallon, who in the third game had made a somewhat awkward stop at the net. Sinner immediately tests his rival’s conditions with a short, winning ball, but the run-up is discreet. We advance on the service games, after the uncertain start Jannik’s first ball has picked up pace and everything becomes difficult for Griekspoor. At 5 all, Griekspoor serve, Jannik finds a nice backhand counter foot and the Orange collapses to the ground, but without consequences. 30 all, small chance for the blue. Tallon doesn’t tremble, he continues to play with all his arms and leads 6-5. Not even Sinner, another solid innings closed with an Ace, goes to the tiebreak. Sinner scores the first point with a precise forehand return along the line, then an Ace, and then another (seventh of the set), 3-0 ahead of Jannik. The blue is implacable, he throws another response, this time with a backhand, into the Dutchman’s feet, an unmanageable ball. 4-0 Sinner. It turns 5 points to 1. Griekspoor finds a great point with a lightning forehand and goes back down, 5-4. With a powerful and deep forehand Jannik flies 6-4, two Set Points. He’s not lucky on the first one, a backhand exchange hits the tape and lands in the corridor. Now Tallon serves, at 5-6. Ace, back to balance. With a nice first outside, the score is 7-6 Griekspoor, the set point is for the orange. Excellent Jannik, first outside and off for the “slap” on the fly. 7 all. Ugh, double fault Sinner!?! 8 points to 7, second set point, and this time Griekspoor serves. Tallon misses with his backhand, 8 all, but what a tightrope response Jannik has. Griekspoor throws himself into the net with his backhand to the center, the passer doesn’t go. 9-8. Sinner’s backhand acceleration just comes out, 10-8 Griekspoor. SET for the Dutchman, with Sinner not finishing a 5-1 lead and two set points, one on serve.

Sinner starts the second set recovering a dangerous 0-30, thanks to the serve. Griekspoor continues to hammer everything, holds up at a great level, 1 all. At 2 all, Sinner’s serve literally blows up the hook that tightens the central strap of the net!?! The game necessarily stops. The stop doesn’t help the blue, errors and even an ill-timed attack, he slips below 0-40, with three break points to defend. Save the first, exchange at great speed, the first to give in is Tallon; Ace on second, 30-40; another solid first ball, parity. Sinner’s Fist. He wins the fifth point in a row with another Ace, what a performance! 3-2 ahead the blue. In the sixth game Sinner’s response makes itself felt again, causing an error from his rival, then at 30 all he finds a fantastic backhand passer. 30-40, here is finally the first break point of the match in favor of Jannik. He saves it with a great first ball to T Griekspoor. A double fault follows, second PB for the blue. NOOO! IT IS NOT TRUE!!!! A tape deflects Tallon’s forehand, Sinner changes direction and literally dives on the ball, finding a touch with the winning forehand. Griekspoor is petrified, sensational point from Jannik which earns him the first BREAK of the match, and ahead 4-2. What reactivity and legs, but also Sinner’s hand. There were noticeable creaks in the rival’s tennis after 90 minutes at full strength. In an instant Jannik flies ahead 5-2, a champion’s leap from 0-40 down. Which class! Impressive how Jannik has raised his level, he plays more loosely and also finds a tight and short backhand which is another marvel. He closes Sinner 6-3 thanks to another high-paced exchange brought home. Sinner’s deadly quality surge, like a champion.

Third set, Griekspoor to serve, under a real downpour (luckily the roof is closed). Sinner responds a lot now, the Dutchman can no longer find comfortable points with his serve. Jannik on par 1 in response is good at cutting the court and attacking. With the advantages, the n.1 finds a deadly cross forehand response, very fast, which lands in the corner, earning him the break point. Surgical Jannik! He responds to a first at 215 km/h, forces the exchange in the center with great speed and depth, the first to give in in the arm wrestling is Tallon. BREAK Sinner, 2-1 and then 3-1 with a perfect innings. Ahead in the score, Jannik plays freely and also finds a backhand backhand pass, blocking the forearm, of absolute quality, which also forces the “good” of the rival. Griekspoor remains in their wake, 2-3, but must find a great game in response to reopen the match. The blue finds himself down 15-30 in the sixth game (also due to an unlucky tape), he makes up for it with ace n.14 of the match. To the advantages, with a perfect lob of touch, 4-2. Sinner’s passer is deadly, a backhand and then a lob, 30-40 and double break ball for the n.1. There he is! With an acceleration of his backhand along the line, almost to the corner, he forces Griekspoor’s error, 5-2 Sinner, one step away from success. The blue served perfectly, closing a match that was anything but easy 6-2 on the first match point with Ace. Great match, fun and full of spectacular shots. Very good Griekspoor, still defeated by Jannik, but excellent performance. Sinner’s run as no.1 continues.

[1] Jannik Sinner vs Tallon Griekspoor

ATP Halle

Jannik Sinner [1]

6

6

6

Tallon Griekspoor

7

3

2

Winner: Sinner

Service

Execution

Set 3

T. Griekspoor

0-15

3-3pm

15-30

30-30

30-40

4-2 → 5-2

J. Sinner

15-0

3-3pm

15-30

30-30

ace

40-30

40-40

A-40

3-2 → 4-2

T. Griekspoor

15-0

ace

3-3pm

30-15

40-30

40-40

40-A

1-1 → 2-1

J. Sinner

15-0

3-3pm

30-15

30-30

40-30

0-1 → 1-1

T. Griekspoor

15-0

3-3pm

30-15

30-30

40-30

40-40

A-40

40-40

A-40

40-40

A-40

40-40

df

A-40

40-40

A-40

ace

0-0 → 0-1

Service

Execution

Set 2

T. Griekspoor

15-0

30-0

30-15

30-30

30-40

40-40

40-A

df

3-2 → 4-2

J. Sinner

0-15

0-30

0-40

15-40

30-40

ace

40-40

A-40

ace

2-2 → 3-2

J. Sinner

0-15

0-30

15-30

30-30

40-30

0-0 → 1-0

Service

Execution

Set 1

Tie-break

0-0*

1*-0

2*-0

ace

3-0*

ace

4-0*

4*-1

5*-1

5-2*

5-3*

ace

5*-4

6*-4

6-5*

6-6*

6*-7

7*-7

7-8*

df

8-8*

8*-9

6-6 → 6-7

J. Sinner

15-0

30-0

ace

30-15

40-15

ace

5-6 → 6-6

T. Griekspoor

0-15

3-3pm

30-15

30-30

40-30

5-5 → 5-6

T. Griekspoor

15-0

3-3pm

40-30

40-40

A-40

3-3 → 3-4

J. Sinner

15-0

3-3pm

df

30-15

30-30

40-30

2-3 → 3-3

T. Griekspoor

0-15

3-3pm

30-15

40-15

40-30

40-40

A-40

ace

1-1 → 1-2

J. Sinner

15-0

30-0

30-15

30-30

30-40

40-40

A-40

40-40

A-40

ace

0-1 → 1-1

T. Griekspoor

0-15

3-3pm

30-15

30-30

40-30

ace

0-0 → 0-1