By Richard Pagliaro | Sunday, October 3, 2021
Top-seeded Jannik Sinner stopped second-seeded Gael Monfils 6-3, 6-4 to capture his second straight Sofia championship.
Photo credit: Sofia Open Facebook
Gazing up at the Arena Armeec Sofia roof before today’s Sofia final, Jannik Sinner looked like a man assessing all surrounding sight lines.
No ceiling can contain Sinner’s upward mobility.
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In a clash of the top two seeds, Sinner was second to none defeating Gael Monfils 6-3, 6-4 to successfully defend his Sofia Open title without surrendering a set.
It’s a historic win for the top-seeded Sinner, who raised his tournament record to 9-0 becoming the first man to sweep back-to-back Sofia championships.
"Congrats to Gael. We had some great fight, great matches and obviously congrats to you and your team," Sinner told Monfils during the trophy presentation. "Tennis needs you—really needs you—so thanks for staying here in tough moments like this without crowd. I know you don’t like that, but soon, hopefully, everything will be back to normal. So good luck to you.”
The victory vaults Sinner to a career-high ranking of No. 14 in the live rankings as he improves to 37-17 on the season continuing his quest to qualify for the season-ending ATP Finals, which debuts in his native Italy next month.
Clubbing clean combinations, Sinner applied pace, angle and depth to dismantle the 35-year-old Monfils in one hour, 18 minutes.
It is Sinner’s fourth career title, including his third championship this season after title runs in Melbourne and Washington. Sinner is the sixth man to win three or more titles in 2021 joining world No. 1 Novak Djokovic, Daniil Medvedev, Casper Ruud, Alexander Zverev and Hubert Hurkacz as part of the triple crown club this year.
Despite the defeat, Monfils sustained his streak of finals contesting an ATP final for a mind-boggling 17th consecutive season, which is second only to Rafael Nadal's 18-year run among active players.
"First of all well played to Jannik; again a great week," Monfils said during the trophy presentation. "Well done, you barely missed today. Well done to your team.
"Definitely you have big goals for the end of the year and I hope you will get what you want. So well done again."
Six weeks after Sinner out-dueled Monfils in a gripping five-set US Open triumph, he drained the drama from this final breaking the Frenchman in the opening service game of both sets and extending his leads with command.
The 20-year-old Italian took the initiative at the outset. Cracking his forehand with damaging accuracy, Sinner struck a diagonal forehand winner for break point then drove a dagger forehand down the line breaking in Monfils’ opening service game.
Finding his rhythm, Monfils thumped his second ace out wide holding at 15 for 2-4.
Contesting his 31st career ATP final, the flamboyant Frenchman used the low slice to earn double break point. Sinner saved both unloading some massive strikes in a crackling 32-shot rally that ended with the Italian torching an electric backhand crosscourt.
Sinner staved off the challenge withstanding tremendous defensive digs from Monfils holding for 5-2.
On his second set point, Sinner seized the set when Monfils netted a backhand. Sinner served just 47 percent but won 13 of 14 first-serve points and did not drop serve in the 39-minute opener.
Seeking his first title since the 2020 Rotterdam, Monfils struggled to sustain the depth of his drives at the start of the second set. Sending a few shots that landed near the service line, Monfils paid the price as Sinner stepped in and drove deep replies coaxing an errant backhand to open the second set with his second break.
Even without fans, Monfils finds a way to entertain.
Following a wide serve forehand, the elastic Monfils showed high hops soaring to spike a smash with hang-time that would have made the young Yannick Noah and Pete Sampras proud. That leaping tomahawk smash punctuated a hold for 2-3.
Untouchable on serve as the set, Sinner stamped three love holds in four of his final five service games. The Italian slashed a wide serve to draw an error closing his second straight Sofia Open championship at love. Sinner, who was runner-up to Hubert Hurkacz in the Miami Open final last April, will head to Indian Wells where he will try to sustain his winning streak at the BNP Paribas Open.
"We try to improve day after day and hopefully we can have a great finish of the season and thank you so much," Sinner said departing Sofia as he arrived: tournament champion.