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By Alberto Amalfi | Thursday, October 17, 2019

 
Jannik Sinner

Jannik Sinner turned the Antwerp draw upside down shocking top-seeded Gael Monfils 6-3, 6-2 earning his biggest win and a trip to his first ATP quarterfinal.

Photo credit: @EuroTennisOpen

Give Jannik Sinner an hour and he'll give you a milestone.

Cracking his serve with conviction, the 18-year-old Italian shocked top-seeded Gael Monfils 6-3, 6-2 powering to his biggest career win for a spot in his first ATP quarterfinal in Antwerp.

More: Federer To Play 2020 Roland Garros

Wild card Sinner broke twice in each set starting and ending a 60-minute dismissal with service breaks.




Playing first-strike tennis, Sinner won eight of the first 10 points bursting out to a 2-0 lead.

The world No. 119 held break points in four of the Frenchman's first five service games often backing the top seed up behind the baseline with the depths of his returns.

Sinner, who chose tennis over a competitive skiing career at age 13, moves well and plays high-percentage power baseline tennis.

Moving Monfils, Sinner sealed his second set point to build a one-set lead.

Fending off the lone break point he faced to start the second set, Sinner was only pushed to deuce once in four service games in the second set.

The explosive Italian surged through 12 of 15 points building a 4-1 second-set lead. Sinner closed his biggest career win on his third match point.

The Italian teenager cites his calm competitive state as an asset. He barely showed any emotion until moments after the post-match handshake when Sinner smiled toward his box. 

The Italian teenager will take on Frances Tiafoe for a semifinal spot. Tiafoe saved six of seven break points taking down seventh-seeded Jan-Lennard Struff.

Tiafoe pumped eight aces and served 58 percent in a 78-minute win that sends the 21-year-old American into his first quarterfinal since Winston-Salem last August. It will be the first meeting between Tiafoe and Sinner.

It was a tough day for seeds.

Qualifier Marius Copil edged third-seeded Diego Schwartzman 6-4, 5-7, 7-6(7) in a tense duel that was a double celebration.

The Romanian celebrated his 29th birthday with his first win over the world No. 15.




Facing one of tennis' top returners, Copil crunched 13 aces and fought off four of eight break points in a gripping two hour, 41-minute victory.

Schwartzman saved a match point holding for 5-all in the final set.

The Argentinean baseliner denied match points at 5-6 and 6-7 in the tie break before Copil converted his fourth match point to end a struggle.

The 92nd-ranked Romanian will play former world No. 1 Andy Murray in the quarterfinals.

Murray swept eighth-seeded Pablo Cuevas 6-4, 6-3. 

Murray out-dueled Copil 7-6 in the third set in an epic 2018 Washington, D.C. round of 16 clash.

 

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