Sinner celebrates birthday with thrilling win over Kokkinakis
Birthday boy Jannik escaped Thanasi Kokkinakis in a three-set battle on Tuesday in Cincinnati. Montreal champion Pablo Carreno Busta could be next up for Sinner.
Tennis – Australian Open – Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia – January 22, 2022 Italy’s Jannik Sinner reacts during his third round match against Japan’s Taro Daniel || 218680_0277
Jannik Sinner, who turned 21 on Tuesday, survived a 6-7(9), 6-4, 7-6(6) thriller against Thanasi Kokkinakis in round one of the Western & Southern Open. Sinner needed three hours and 14 minutes to advance at the Linder Tennis Family Center.
The Italian awaits either Pablo Carreno Busta or Miomir Kecmanovic in the round of 32. Carreno Busta is coming off the biggest title of his career in Montreal.
Cincinnati Masters 1000, other first-round matches and results:
- Filip Krajinovic vs. Daniel Evans
- Pablo Carreno Busta vs. Miomir Kecmanovic
- Lorenzo Sonego vs. Ben Shelton
- Nick Kyrgios vs. Alejandro Davidovich Fokina
- Taylor Fritz vs. Sebastian Baez
- Fabio Fognini (LL) beat Albert Ramos-Vinolas: 6-2, 6-3
- Alex De Minaur beat Henri Laaksonen (Q): 6-2, 6-2
- Borna Coric beat Lorenzo Musetti (Q): 7-6 (2), 6-3
- Tommy Paul beat Jenson Brooksby: 6-3, 6-2
- Denis Shapovalov beat Grigor Dimitrov (16): 7-6 (4), 6-3
- Frances Tiafoe beat Matteo Berrettini (12): 7-6 (3), 4-6, 7-6 (5)
- Sebastian Korda (WC) beat Karen Khachanov: 6-3, 6-4
- Marcos Giron (Q) beat David Goffin (Q): 6-3, 6-4
- Marin Čilić (14) beat Jaume Munar (Q): 6-3, 6-3
- Andy Murray beat Stan Wawrinka: 7-6 (3), 5-7, 7-5
- Cameron Norrie (9) beat Holger Rune: 7-6 (5), 4-6, 6-4
- John Isner beat Benjamin Bonzi: 7-6 (11), 3-6, 7-6 (4)
- Emil Ruusuvuori beat J.J. Wolf (WC): 7-6 (2), 6-2
- Roberto Bautista Agut (15) beat Francisco Cerundolo: 6-7 (5), 6-4, 6-2
- Diego Schwartzman (13) beat Alex Molcan: 5-7, 6-4, 6-2
- Aslan Karatsev beat Brandon Nakashima: 7-5, 7-5
- Mackenzie McDonald (WC) beat Nikoloz Basilashvili: 6-0, 6-1
- Botic van de Zandschulp beat Maxime Cressy: 6-2, 4-6, 6-4