World No. 1 reaches quarterfinals with straight-sets win over Andrea Pellegrino
World No. 1 Jannik Sinner defeated fellow Italian Andrea Pellegrino in straight sets on Tuesday to advance to the quarterfinals of the Italian Open.
Sinner secured a comfortable 6-2, 6-3 victory and equaled the record of 31 consecutive ATP Masters 1000 wins previously achieved by Novak Djokovic in 2011.
Sinner dominates opening set
The Italian star controlled the match from the baseline, applying constant pressure with his depth and consistency during the opening set.
Sinner broke Pellegrino early before comfortably taking the first set 6-2.
The top seed maintained his composure throughout the contest despite a stronger response from Pellegrino in the second set.
Pellegrino fights back in second set
Pellegrino improved his aggression in the second set by stepping inside the baseline and forcing longer rallies.
The match remained competitive during the early stages before Sinner capitalized on a series of unforced errors to earn a crucial break in the seventh game.
Sinner then closed out the second set 6-3 to complete the victory and book his place in the quarterfinals.
Sinner equals Djokovic milestone
Following the win, Sinner matched Djokovic’s impressive 31-match ATP Masters 1000 winning streak established in 2011.
The Italian also extended his current overall tour-level winning streak to 26 matches, equaling the best run of his professional career.
Speaking after the match, Sinner said the contest had been physically demanding and added that he continued to work on improving “small things” in his game.
Luciano Darderi stuns Alexander Zverev
Elsewhere in the men’s singles fourth round, Luciano Darderi produced a remarkable comeback victory against former champion Alexander Zverev.
Darderi saved four match points in the second set before winning 1-6, 7-6 (10), 6-0.
The victory marked Darderi’s first win over a top-10 player and secured his first ATP Masters 1000 quarterfinal appearance.
Coco Gauff advances after comeback win
In the women’s draw, third seed Coco Gauff recovered from a set down to defeat eighth seed Mirra Andreeva 4-6, 6-2, 6-4.
Meanwhile, Sorana Cirstea defeated Jelena Ostapenko to reach the semifinals of the Italian Open for the first time in her career.
Key matches scheduled for Wednesday
On Wednesday, fourth seed Iga Swiatek is set to face fifth seed Jessica Pegula in a highly anticipated women’s singles clash.
In doubles action, Wang Xinyu and Hsieh Su-wei will take on the pair of Mirra Andreeva and Diana Shnaider.