By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Thursday February 15, 2023
Jannik Sinner continued his winning ways in Rotterdam, edging Gael Monfils in three sets to reach the quarterfinals.
Photo Source: Getty
Jannik Sinner pushed his current winning streak to 12 victories with a 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 triumph over two-time Rotterdam champion Gael Monfils on Thursday, the fourth-ranked Italian remaining undefeated in 2024 and setting a last eight clash with resurgent Milos Raonic.
In the process Sinner ended Monfils’ 11-match winning streak in Rotterdam. The widely adored 2019 and 2020 champion had not been back in four years.
Sinner had to work to get past the 37-year-old. He lost his grip on the second set and had to scratch and claw to restore order in a decider to improve to 5-1 lifetime against the dynamic Monfils.
“It was one shaky game of mine in the second set and things changed so fast,” said Sinner after the match. “I still believe that these kinds of matches, they help you a lot, especially on the mental part. When you don’t play your best tennis and you still try somehow to find the way to win.”
Monfils broke in the fourth game of the second set and held the rest of the way to force a decider, but Sinner was quick to get back on set in set three, breaking Monfils in the second game to take a lead he would never relinquish.
Sinner only faced one break point and won 17 of 23 second serve points on the day. He broke Monfils twice on five opportunities to win in one hour and 52 minutes.
It was a day of upsets elsewhere in Rotterdam.
Home favorite Tallon Griekspoor upset No.4-seeded Hubert Hurkacz in an epic, 6-7(5) 7-6(5) 7-6(4), while Alexander Shevchenko toppled No.3-seeded Holger Rune 6-4, 1-6, 6-3.
Sixth-seeded Grigor Dimitrov stood firm, however. The Bulgarian improved to 12-2 on the season with a 6-3, 7-5 win over Marton Fucsovics.
Finland’s Emil Ruusuvuori was also a winner, taking out Jan-Lennard Struff 6-3, 6-3.
The quarterfinal lineups are now set in Rotterdam: