14 on the trot! Sinner tops Griekspoor to set final with De Minaur at Rotterdam

Italian Jannik Sinner has been unstoppable thus far in 2024, and that didn’t change on Saturday in Rotterdam as the fourth-ranked Italian put in his best performance of the week at the ABN Amro in Rotterdam to eliminate home favourite Tallon Griekspoor in straight sets, 6-2, 6-4.

With the win Sinner stretches his current winning streak to 14 victories, improves to 11-0 in 2024 and reaches his 16th ATP final. The 22-year-old will face Australian Alex De Minaur, the No 5 seed, for the title on Sunday.

“I knew that today I had to raise the level, which I have done,” Sinner said after the win. “I’m very glad that I can play one more here, in the final in Rotterdam.”

Sinner was tested at times by the 27-year-old Dutchman, but he was better in the big moments, saving all six break points he faced and converting on three of his four break opportunities to make the scoreline look more lopsided than the one hour and 21-minute contest actually was.

“I don’t know,” Sinner explained of his success in the critical moments. “It’s just extra focus on important points… I felt much better on the court today, and I think also that helped me.”

Fast out of the gates

Sinner had the perfect start to the match, breaking Griekspoor in two of his first three service games (for 1-0 and 4-1). Serving at 4-1 he saved a pair of break points for 5-1, then served out the set at love two games later.

The second set was hotly contested, with Sinner saving a pair of break points to hold for 2-2 and another two to hold for 3-3. He then broke Griekspoor at love, the Dutchman double-faulting at 0-40 down to give Sinner a chance to serve out the match.

Sinner didn’t falter – he ripped a giant first serve that glanced off the racquet of Griekspoor on his first match point.

“It would mean a lot”

Sinner takes a 6-0 lifetime record against De Minaur into Sunday’s final, but he knows that the Aussie has been playing top-notch tennis in 2024.

De Minaur guaranteed himself a return to the top 10 with his win over Grigor Dimitrov on Saturday to reach his 15th ATP final. He will bid to become the first Aussie to win the title in Rotterdam since Lleyton Hewitt in 2004.

“It would mean a lot,” Sinner said of winning the title at the event that awarded him a wild card when he was an 18-year-old in 2018. “It’s a special place. The tournament believed in me many years ago.”

Of De Minaur, Sinner says he expects that the 25-year-old will come out with some new tactics given that he has lost the last 11 sets the pair have contested.

“I know [Alex] quite well as he knows me well, and I guess he’s going to change a couple of things tomorrow so I’ll have to be really prepared and ready.”

Earlier in the tournament, the 22-year-old Italian defeated Dutchman Botic van de Zandschulp (6-3, 6-3), French wildcard Gael Monfils (6-3, 3-6, 6-3) and Canadian Milos Raonic (7-6 (4), 1-1 ret.).

A milestone week for Sinner

Sinner notched his 200th career win on Friday to become the seventh Italian man and the first man born after 2000 to achieve the feat.

After Saturday’s win he has realised a new dream. Sinner will leapfrog Daniil Medvedev in the next two weeks, regardless of results. If he wins the title on Sunday in Rotterdam, he will become No 3 in Monday’s ATP rankings.

Griekspoor, ranked No 29, won against Italian Lorenzo Musetti (3-6, 7-6 (7), 7-6 (3)), Pole Hubert Hurkacz, the No 4 seed (6-7 (5), 7-6 (5), 7-6 (4)) and Finn Emil Ruusuvuori (7-5, 7-6 (4)) in the previous rounds of the Rotterdam tournament.

Rotterdam ATP 500, other semi-final result (Rotterdam Ahoy, hard, EUR 2.134.985):

• Alex De Minaur beat Grigor Dimitrov (6): 6-4, 6-3

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