Sinner overcomes Hurkacz to clinch first grass-court title at Halle Open
Jannik Sinner edged past Hubert Hurkacz 7-6 (8), 7-6 (2) to win the Halle Open title
Jannik Sinner wins 2024 Halle Open © Friso Gentsch/AP/SIPA
Jannik Sinner came through a serve-dominated encounter against Hubert Hurkacz, winning 7-6 (8), 7-6 (2) to lift the Halle Open trophy and begin his tenure as world No 1 with a title win.
The Italian has become just the eighth man to win the title in his first tournament appearance as a new world No 1.
It also marks Sinner’s first grass-court title, the 14th of his already illustrious career, and his fourth ATP title of the season. He improves his win-loss record this year to 38-3 as the Australian Open champion underlines his rise to the top of the ATP rankings in some style.
Hurkacz, meanwhile, could not muster a second Halle Open triumph, having lifted the trophy two years ago.
There was very little to separate the pair, especially on serve. But Sinner showed his greater resilience in the tensest moments of the match, twice lifting his game when it mattered most to secure both sets on tiebreaks in a contest where a break of serve remained elusive.
Hurkacz could only generate one break point opportunity, which was not much better than his opponent’s tally of three, as both men served impeccably to lock each other out.
The first-set tiebreak was a close, nervy affair, with Sinner narrowly winning it 10-8 to move into a one-set lead.
The second set was a carbon copy of the first, as neither player gave away anything on their service games in a tight grass-court encounter.
The Italian again looked sharped at the business end of the set, as Sinner breezed through the second-set breaker 7-2 to lift a maiden grass-court title.
sinner positions himself as the favourite for the wimbledon crown
“First, congrats to Jannik and the team,” Hurkacz said after the match.
“You guys are doing amazing. It’s inspiring what you’ve been doing the last twelve months. Jannik becoming No 1 in the world is really special. I try to learn from that. Really big congrats to you guys.”
Sinner, meanwhile, paid tribute to both his opponent and girlfriend Anna Kalinskaya, who lost a close final to Jessica Pegula in the final of the Berlin Open.
“First of all, Hubi, huge congratulations for playing another final,” Sinner said.
“In 2022 you won here. Also to your team – you’re doing an amazing job. We’re very good friends off court. We played doubles in the beginning of the week. Seeing us play the final here is very special. Thank you so much.
“My girlfriend Anna played in Berlin today. She lost, with six match points. So I’m very sorry for her. She also had an amazing week.”
Both Sinner and Hurkacz will be leading names for the title at Wimbledon next month, with both players well-suited to grass-court tennis.
But Sinner, in particular, will be hoping to improve on his last-four finish twelve months ago. Having won his first Grand Slam title in Melbourne at the start of this year, the new world No 1 has more than displayed his ability to replicate on grass the dizzying heights he reaches on hard courts.
With a first grass-court title under his belt at this week’s prestigious Halle Open, the young Italian may just head into the tournament at SW19 as the favourite to lift his second Grand Slam title.
