Australian Open champion Jannik Sinner showcased his resilience as he navigated through a challenging match against veteran French player Gael Monfils to secure a spot in the Rotterdam Open quarter-finals on Thursday.
Despite a formidable fightback from Monfils, Sinner emerged victorious with a 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 triumph, marking a day of surprises as other top seeds faltered.
The 22-year-old Italian, maintaining his undefeated streak this year, demonstrated his formidable skills right from the onset, swiftly taking a 3-0 lead in the first set.
While wildcard Monfils, at 37 years old, entertained the audience with his signature retrieving and occasional flashy shots, he initially struggled to counter Sinner's consistent play, conceding the first set 6-3.
However, Monfils, ranked 70th in the world, exhibited glimpses of his past brilliance in the second set, much to the delight of the Rotterdam crowd that had witnessed his consecutive title wins in 2019 and 2020.
Employing a strategic mix of powerful forehands and well-placed drop shots, he disrupted Sinner's rhythm and secured an early break of serve, ultimately clinching the set 6-3.
In the deciding set, a shaky start from Monfils, marked by unforced errors and a double fault in his first service game, allowed Sinner to seize the momentum once again, establishing a commanding 3-0 lead.
Despite Monfils' resilience, Sinner's relentless pressure proved insurmountable, as the world number four eventually broke through the Frenchman's defenses to claim the third set 6-3 and seal his berth in the quarter-finals.
"It's always tough to play against him. He won two times here, so he knows how to play here," said Sinner. "I'm very happy. I was struggling a bit, I didn't have so much rhythm."
"But in these kind of matches you learn a lot. It gives me confidence for the next one," against Canada's Milos Raonic.
Earlier in the day, rising talent Holger Rune faced an unexpected setback as he suffered a surprising defeat to Kazakh player Alexander Shevchenko, while local favorite Tallon Griekspoor thrilled the crowd by defeating fourth-seed Hubert Hurkacz in a captivating match fueled by enthusiastic support from the spectators.
Both victors described their wins as their "biggest" or "best".
Shevchenko, the 23-year-old ranked 57th in the world, secured a hard-fought 6-4, 1-6, 6-3 victory, marking only his second career win against a top-10 player, setting the stage for a quarter-final showdown against Bulgaria's Grigor Dimitrov.
In a match full of twists and turns, Shevchenko claimed a narrow 6-4 win in the first set before surrendering to lose the second 1-6. The decisive set remained evenly contested until 4-3 when the Kazakh seized the crucial break in the eighth game.
"It's the biggest win of my career. I'm really proud of myself," said Shevchenko. "Already last year, I played some good tennis but I needed the experience of playing top guys like Hurkacz, Rune, (Daniil) Medvedev, Sinner. Now I got it and I'm trying to find a way day by day to play them."
He anticipated facing a contrasting challenge against Dimitrov, noting that the Bulgarian often utilizes a slice style of play, whereas Rune relies heavily on his potent serve and formidable forehand.
"I don't really know how you can prepare for Grigor. He's playing some insane tennis at the moment," said Shevchenko.
Griekspoor, ranked 29th in the world, demonstrated his resilience by prevailing in a hard-fought battle, ultimately triumphing 7-6 (7/5), 6-7 (5/7), 7-6 (7/4).
"I'm unbelievably happy. It's the best win of my life," he said. "This is the reason I play tennis, to play these kinds of matches... I'm really proud of what I did. It shows what I can do," added the 27-year-old Dutchman.
(With AFP inputs)
