Jannik Sinner defeats Stefanos Tsitsipas in opening match at Nitto ATP Finals

Jannik Sinner got his Nitto ATP Finals campaign off to a winning start on Sunday, defeating Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-4, 6-4 to delight the Italian fans inside the Pala Alpitour.

At the prestigious year-end event in Turin, the 22-year-old Italian was dialed in from the start, striking his flat groundstrokes cleanly to rush the Greek.

Sinner blasted 22 winners and successfully targeted Tsitsipas' backhand to earn his 58th victory of the season after one hour and 25 minutes.

Sinner qualified for the eight-man tournament for the first time this year after competing as an alternate in Turin in 2021.

"It is a special week," Sinner said. "We play under a roof, so it is nosier and playing with this crowd is such a special feeling. I tried to be really happy on the court and really focused."

Sinner arrived in Turin after a standout year. In 2023, he won four tour-level titles, including his first ATP Masters 1000 title in Toronto.

Sinner quickly delivered inside a packed Pala Alpitour, despite the high expectations. In the first set, he earned the decisive break in the fifth game to take the lead, and he won 84% (16/19) of his first-serve points.

Sinner then took control of the second set, breaking in the first game when Tsitsipas hit a backhand into the net. The Italian looked smooth on serve and relaxed on his groundstrokes, sealing victory on his first match point.

The World No. 4 is now 1-0 in Green Group play. Six-time champion Novak Djokovic and Dane Holger Rune are also in the Green Group and will compete in Italy this evening.

SportsLigue