By Richard Pagliaro | @Tennis_Now | Saturday, February 17, 2024
Jannik Sinner saved all seven break points he faced defeating Dutchman Tallon Griekspoor 6-2, 6-4 to reach his second straight Rotterdam final.
Photo credit: Joris Verwijst/BSR Agency/Getty Images
The ball crashed off the back wall with a declarative thud.
Even when his best tennis eludes him, Jannik Sinner continues to hit the high notes in Rotterdam.
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In a rematch of the 2023 semifinal, Sinner saved all six break points he faced defeating Dutch No. 1 Tallon Griekspoor 6-2, 6-4 to advance to his second straight Rotterdam final.
A streaking Sinner scored his 14th consecutive victory—and moved to within one win of a milestone.
If Sinner beats Alex de Minaur in tomorrow’s final, he will capture his 12th career championship and rise to a career-high rank of No. 3.
Australian Open champion Sinner raised his 2024 record to 11-0 beating Griekspoor for the third time in as many meetings following a 7-5, 7-6(5) victory in the 2023 Rotterdam semifinals. Sinner slashed seven aces against one double fault, erasing two of the six break points he faced with aces out wide.
Earlier, de Minaur broke in the opening game of both sets defeating Grigor Dimitrov 6-4, 6-3.
An opportunistic de Minaur converted all three break points he earned and saved all three break points he faced in a one hour, 23-minute triumph.
World No. 11 de Minaur celebrated his 25th birthday in style. This was de Minaur’s fifth straight semifinal victory as he advanced to his 15th ATP final. De Minaur’s final run comes 20 years after his Davis Cup captain and mentor Lleyton Hewitt won the 2004 Rotterdam championship.
The 22-year-old Sinner will be a massive favorite in tomorrow’s final. Sinner won all six prior meetings vs. de Minaur, sweeping the last 11 sets they’ve played. De Minaur last took a set from Sinner at the 2020 Sofia.
A sharp Sinner broke to open and won eight of his first 10 service points charging out to a 3-1 lead.
Even when Griekspoor, who was 14-1 on home soil since the start of 2023, made superb shots as he did with a lunging drop volley. Sinner had an answer sliding into a backhand pass that helped him hold for 5-1.
Sinner served out the 34-minute opening set at love as Griekspoor sailed an inside-out forehand wide.
Raising the risk factor on his drives, Griekspoor held for 2-1 then took a timeout for treatment of his foot.
When play resumed, Griekspoor gained double break point. Trying to seal the break with one swing, he missed a backhand return wide. Sinner slammed a flat ace out wide denying the second break point. That serving stand helped him level after four games.
Dialing up some of his biggest serves beneath break point pressure, Sinner singed another ace out wide to erase a fifth break point.
Earning a sixth break point, Griekspoor flew a forehand long then spiked his white Tecnifibre racquet off the court in frustration. Sinner saved another pair of break points to level 3-all.
Bidding to become the first Dutch Rotterdam finalist since Raemon Sluiter in 2003, you can’t fault Griekspoor for red-lining his game against the Australian Open champion.
When you try to fly too high, however, even indoors, you can crash and burn. Sinner guessed right on a volley and rapped a backhand pass down the line to open the ninth game.
Playing a forehand too close to the sideline, the Dutchman missed wide to face triple break point. Griekspoor double-faulted away an atrocious service game gift-wrapping the break and 5-4 lead to the top seed.
Though he didn’t serve his best on this day, Sinner slammed down one final serve winner, wrapping an 81-minute triumph.