By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Wednesday November 6, 2019
Sinner the stunner.
Italy’s rising force Jannik Sinner became the first Italian to ever win a match at the Next Gen ATP Finals in Milan on Day 1 of this year’s event. On Wednesday he took it a step further and became the first to qualify for the semifinals with a dominant 4-0 4-2 4-1 victory over Mikael Ymer.
The 18-year-old World No. 95, who put forth a convincing display of power tennis to knock off Frances Tiafoe 3-4 4-2 4-2 4-2 on Tuesday at the Allianz Cloud in Milan, has been a crowd pleaser for the local fans in Milan.
The Italian, who was a semifinalist at Antwerp a few weeks ago, dropped just five points on first serve and saved all five break points he faced in his 56-minute victory over Ymer.
As the youngest player inside the Top 100, Sinner has risen over 450 spots in the ATP rankings this season, from 551 at the start of the season. His victory over Tiaofe marks his second Top 50 win.
”I think I’ve improved everything,” Sinner said. “We’re just improving day after day. That’s our main goal and then the results will come.”
Sinner joined 2018 runner-up Alex de Minaur (d. Kecmanovic), Tiafoe (d. Humbert) and Casper Ruud (d. Davidovich Fokina) in the Day 2 winner’s circle in Milan.
All eight players will be back at it on Thursday in the final of three days of round robin play.