Jannik Sinner triumphs in Rome return
Rome, May 10 (UNI) Jannik Sinner made a victorious return to competitive tennis after a three-month hiatus, easing past Mariano Navone 6-3, 6-4 in the second round of the Internazionali BNL d'Italia in Rome.
Despite the straightforward scoreline, the World No. 1 admitted to feeling nervous, describing the match as a "rollercoaster inside" due to the pressure of returning to official competition.
The 23-year-old Italian, who has been sidelined since winning the Australian Open in January, faced his first competitive match in more than three months on Saturday.
Reflecting on his performance, Sinner acknowledged the emotional challenges that come with returning to the tour. "It felt like a rollercoaster, especially at the beginning. The nerves of serving for the first time, trying to move in the best way possible, it's just different from practice," Sinner said.
Although the match itself seemed comfortable, the Italian star was quick to point out that it was the nerves and mental aspect of the game that made it challenging.
Sinner, who is aiming for his second tour-level title on home soil following his victory at the 2024 Nitto ATP Finals in Turin, was met with a warm reception from the home spectators at the Foro Italico.
The passionate Roman fans cheered him on throughout the match.
On a 22-match winning streak dating back to October 2024, Sinner will face lucky loser Jesper De Jong in his next match. Looking ahead, the World No. 1 aims to continue improving with every match.
Sinner's victory marks a solid start to his campaign in Rome as he seeks further success on his home turf. UNI BDN SSP
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Hindu
37 minutes ago
- The Hindu
Why the Alcaraz-Sinner French Open final is among the most epic battles
Grand Slam finals carry an unmistakable aura. When a Slam final stretches into a five-setter, it signifies an enthralling contest between evenly matched rivals. Add multiple tie-breakers into the mix, and the sense of parity intensifies, turning the match into an absorbing duel between superior equals. These epic battles become historic. No fan can forget two such memorable men's tennis finals from the recent past. The longest Grand Slam final ever in the Open Era — a gruelling 5-hour, 53-minute battle between Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal at the 2012 Australian Open — remains unmatched to this day. Djokers' celebration, during which he tore off his shirt, remains etched in every tennis fan's memory. Equally unforgettable is the memory of both the players, their legs trembling, at the trophy presentation, until someone brought them chairs. The 2019 Wimbledon final between Djokovic and Roger Federer stood out for different reasons. Lasting 4 hours and 57 minutes, it became the first Slam final to feature three tie-breaks in the Open Era. The sight of Djokovic squatting on Centre Court and eating grass in triumph signalled not just victory, but also a poignant end to Federer's legendary pursuit. Sunday's showdown at Roland Garros between World No. 1 Jannik Sinner and World No 2 Carlos Alcaraz has earned its place among the greatest Slam finals. Lasting 5 hours and 29 minutes, it is the second-longest Grand Slam final in the Open Era. The chart shows the length in minutes for 122 Grand Slam Finals (data from 1991 to 2025). Each circle corresponds to a final. The higher the dots, the longer the finals. Interestingly, in recent years, matches have been relatively longer. The gripping encounter also featured three tie-break sets — only the second time in Open Era Grand Slam finals. However, the number of tie-breaks should be viewed with caution, as rules have varied across years and Grand Slams. The chart on the left shows the number of finals that featured three/two/ one/zero tie-break sets and the chart on the right shows the number of finals that featured five/four/three sets in the Open Era. What truly stood out on Sunday was Alcaraz's extraordinary comeback from being two sets down. To underscore just how rare this feat is: Sinner had only once before lost a match after winning the first two sets since 2021; that was against Djokovic at Wimbledon 2022. Indeed, in the Open Era, the number of times a player who was two sets behind and then went on to become the champion in a Grand Slam final is only eight. The table shows eight other Grand Slam finals in the Open Era in which a player lost the first two sets, but eventually won. Incredibly, the most recent occurrence before this was by Sinner himself, who fought back to win the 2024 Australian Open after trailing Daniil Medvedev by two sets. Medvedev, unfortunately, has experienced this twice — previously it was in 2022, against Nadal, in the Australian Open final. On three defining measures — a marathon encounter, multiple tie-break drama, and an unforgettable comeback — the latest Roland Garros final emphatically earns its place among the greatest championship matches ever played. The table shows the 12 finals that Jannik Sinner reached since 2024, with the winners and losers mentioned. With 38-year-old Djokovic's last Slam win happening in 2023, and Nadal and Federer now retired, tennis fans are eagerly turning their gaze towards Sinner and Alcaraz — the emerging rivals still in their 20s. Since 2024, Sinner has dominated the tour, winning 91 out of 99 matches (a 92% win rate), while Alcaraz, during the same period, has managed to win 91 out of 109 matches (a win rate relatively lower at 83%). Yet there's a twist. Since 2024, Alcaraz and Sinner have faced off five times — including three finals — and each time the Spaniard has emerged victorious. Sinner reached 12 finals in this period, winning all nine in which his opponent wasn't Alcaraz (Table 4). While few have managed to solve the Sinner puzzle, Alcaraz, despite faltering against others, has maintained a flawless record against the Italian in the last 18 months. The data for the charts were sourced from Tennis Abstract vignesh.r@
Time of India
5 hours ago
- Time of India
Red Sox rookie Roman Anthony gets first MLB hit but fans can't stop talking about his sister
It was supposed to be all about Roman Anthony's big moment on the baseball field. The 21-year-old made his Major League Baseball debut with the Boston Red Sox this week. But while he was grabbing headlines for his first hit, someone else from his family was also winning the spotlight. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Fans watching the game couldn't stop talking — but not just about Roman. Roman Anthony hits MLB milestone as family watches from stands Roman Anthony debuted for the Boston Red Sox in his second MLB game at Fenway Park on Tuesday night, June 11, 2025. Promoted from Triple-A only the day before, June 10. The 21-year-old outfielder astonished by hitting a two-run double against the Tampa Bay Rays in a second-round choice from the 2022 draft. Roman didn't know his parents had made it from Florida in time to see the game. 'I didn't even really notice that they were there until I went out for my first at-bat,' he said after the game. His mom, Lori, was seen getting emotional in the stands as she watched her son make his big league breakthrough. Also Read: Lia Anthony , Roman's sister, becomes internet sensation during Red Sox game While Roman made news for his game, it was his older sister, Lia Anthony, who stole the spotlight off the field. Lia, 22, sat with their parents at Fenway Park and was shown several times during the Red Sox vs. Rays broadcast. Cameras caught her cheering in a red dress during Roman's big moment — and social media lit up right after. Fans on X (formerly Twitter) quickly began reacting. One post read, 'I'd like to be the first to welcome Roman Anthony's sister to Boston.' Another user wrote, 'Roman Anthony's sister is a smoke show.' Her Instagram follower count jumped by thousands within hours. She currently has around 9,500 followers. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Earlier this year, Lia completed Florida State University with a degree in Human Development and Family Studies. On April 21, she posted on Instagram about her graduation, thanking the university for 'the best 4 years' of her life. After the game, Lia also shared a photo of her family meeting baseball legend David Ortiz on her Instagram stories — showing how big and exciting this night was for the whole Anthony family.
NDTV
7 hours ago
- NDTV
Jack Grealish, Kyle Walker Left Out Of Manchester City Squad For Club World Cup
Jack Grealish's future at Manchester City was plunged into further doubt on Wednesday after the England international was left out of Pep Guardiola's squad for the Club World Cup. Despite City naming just 27 players from a possible 35 for the tournament beginning in the United States on June 14, Grealish was omitted alongside former captain Kyle Walker. All four of the club's new signings this week - Rayan Ait-Nouri, Rayan Cherki, Tijani Reijnders and Marcus Bettinelli - are included. Ballon d'Or winner Rodri is also selected after making his comeback from a long-term knee injury just before the end of the Premier League season. Grealish, who remains City's record signing after a £100 million ($135 million) move from Aston Villa in 2021, has fallen down the pecking order over the past two seasons. He made just seven Premier League starts in the 2024/25 campaign and was notably not summoned from the bench as City went down to a 1-0 defeat to Crystal Palace in the FA Cup final last month. The 29-year-old still has two years left to run on his City contract and his reported £300,000-a-week ($405,000) wages are a barrier to finding a potential suitor. Guardiola threatened last month he could leave the club if the size of his squad is not cut before the new season begins. Grealish is just one of a number of expected exits, along with Walker. The 35-year-old spent the second half of last season on loan at AC Milan, but the Italian giants have not taken up an option to buy. City begin their Club World Cup campaign against Moroccan side Wydad Casablanca in Philadelphia next Wednesday before facing further group games against Al Ain of Abu Dhabi and Juventus. (Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
