Jannik Sinner delivered a commanding performance at the Erste Bank Open in Vienna, defeating Daniel Altmaier with a decisive score of 6-0, 6-2. This victory, achieved in just 58 minutes, keeps Sinner’s hopes alive for finishing the year as the world No 1. The top seed and defending champion showcased his skill, marking his quickest win of the 2025 season.
Sinner dominated the match right from the start, demonstrating a powerful game that overwhelmed Altmaier. The Italian player expressed satisfaction with his performance, stating, “I feel like in the first set everything was working very well. On indoor courts, you have to be very careful. If your opponent starts to serve well, it’s very difficult to break. But I’m very happy about today’s performance, starting the tournament in a very positive way, not only game-wise but feeling-wise.”
Path to the Year-End Championship
The victory extends Sinner’s winning streak on indoor hard courts to an impressive 17 matches. He is competing for valuable ATP ranking points at the ATP 500 event, which can significantly bolster his position as he aims to close the gap on rival Carlos Alcaraz. Currently, Sinner trails Alcaraz by 2,540 points, but a win in Vienna would reduce that deficit to 2,040 points as they head toward the Rolex Paris Masters and the Nitto ATP Finals.
Sinner will next face fellow Italian Flavio Cobolli, who secured his spot in the second round after defeating Czech player Tomas Machac 7-6 (8-6), 6-2. Meanwhile, Daniil Medvedev, the Almaty champion, also continued his quest for a spot in the Nitto ATP Finals by overcoming Nuno Borges with a score of 6-4, 6-7 (9-7), 6-2.
As Sinner prepares for his upcoming matches, he will need to accumulate as many points as possible while hoping that Alcaraz, who boasts a 67-7 record in 2025, does not maintain his current form.
Other Highlights from the Tournament
In other news from the tournament, Italian player Matteo Berrettini defeated Australia’s Alexei Popyrin in straight sets, 7-6 (7-5), 6-3. This victory set him up for a second-round clash against British No 2 Cameron Norrie.
On the women’s side, Canadian tennis star Victoria Mboko advanced to the quarter-finals of the Pan Pacific Open with a stunning 6-1, 6-1 victory over Germany’s Eva Lys. The 19-year-old, currently ranked No 23 in the world, won 87 percent of her first-serve points and hit five aces, showcasing her ability to dominate the match.
Reflecting on her performance, Mboko said, “I wanted to just be myself and try to play very aggressively. I didn’t really have much of a game plan. I just wanted to play freely and just be very positive with myself on court. So, I think I checked all the marks today, and it all worked out at the end of the day.”
Mboko, who emerged as a surprise winner of the National Bank Open in Montreal earlier this summer, is set to face either compatriot Leylah Fernandez or former Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina in her next match.
With the tournaments heating up, both Sinner and Mboko will be looking to build on their successes as they aim for further victories this season.
