Jannik Sinner is gearing up for a tough challenge at the Italian Open as he prepares to face Argentina’s Francisco Cerundolo in the last 16 on Tuesday. The world number one cruised past Dutch lucky loser Jesper de Jong 6-4, 6-2 in front of a passionate home crowd at Rome’s Foro Italico.
Looking ahead to his match against Cerundolo, Sinner acknowledged the need to elevate his performance against an opponent who knocked him out at the same stage last year and recently reached the semi-finals in Madrid.
“I’ll need to raise my game against him,” Sinner told reporters. “He’s been playing great tennis recently and will be full of confidence.”
While Italian fans are hopeful for Sinner to end their nation’s 49-year wait for a men’s title in Rome, Monday’s match served as a tune-up for the 23-year-old. Despite some initial rustiness, Sinner closed out the match comfortably, especially with De Jong injuring his wrist during the second set.
In the women’s draw, Jasmine Paolini delighted home fans with a confident victory over Jelena Ostapenko, setting up a quarter-final clash with Russia’s Diana Shnaider. Paolini expressed her joy at the supportive atmosphere and camaraderie among Italian players.
On the men’s side, Matteo Berrettini suffered heartbreak as he retired from his match against Casper Ruud due to an abdominal issue. Ruud will face Spain’s Jaume Munar next, with a potential quarter-final showdown with Sinner on the horizon.
Top seed Aryna Sabalenka advanced to the women’s quarter-finals after a hard-fought win over Marta Kostyuk. Sabalenka, a favourite for the title following Iga Swiatek’s exit, will next face eighth seed Qinwen Zheng as she aims for her third WTA 1000 title of the season.
In other results, Coco Gauff progressed with ease, setting up a quarter-final match against Mirra Andreeva. Naomi Osaka’s comeback hit a roadblock as she lost a tough three-set match to Peyton Stearns, who will face Elina Svitolina in the next round.
As the action unfolds at the Italian Open, tennis fans can expect more thrilling matches and surprises as the tournament progresses. Stay tuned for the latest updates and results from Rome’s prestigious event.
