The Italian Jannik Sinner beat the Russian Andrey Rublev (6-4, 7-6, 6-3) in the quarterfinals of the Australian Open in a dynamic, attractive and high-level tennis duel. The one from San Candido presented a candidacy for the title before facing Novak Djokovic for a place in the grand final in Melbourne.
The transalpine tennis player started as a favorite by ranking and by balance in his direct duels (4-2) and acted as such from the beginning. Already in the fifth game, the Italian had three break balls and on the first one he certified the blow, showing great defense. He did not need the tennis player from San Candido more than, Without the need for great displays, they won the first set 6-4 in just 38 minutes.
The dynamics were not different in the following partial, where a fresher Sinner easily scored his services and put Rublev on the ropes for the rest. The Muscovite tried to raise the level and had a break ball in the fourth game that Jannik resolved with the fifth ace of the match. Although he was able to put pressure on the Italian, he immediately committed a double fault. He resolved the situation, after eight minutes of dispute, to make the score 2-2.
In the sixth game, Rublev once again had a break ball that the Italian responded with an ace, but Sinner was not in top shape, as he repeatedly touched his abdomen with gestures of annoyance. Apparently having overcome that setback, The set continued with a spectacular battle for every exchange, for every point, for every serve. After a very long twelfth game, the outcome went to a tie-break where Sinner came back from 1-5 down to score the second set and exasperate his rival.
A whole bucket of cold water that spurred San Candido. While Rublev began to suffer the effort physically and mentally, Sinner brought out the more rational side of him and deployed a whole arsenal of blows against those that the Russian could deliver. He endured as long as he could but ended up giving in to the quality of a Jannik Sinner who aspires to everything.
