Sinner wins all-Italian duel to reach Halle last-eight

Jannik Sinner came out on top in an all-Italian clash against Lorenzo Sonego to reach the quarter-finals of the Halle grass-court tournament on Thursday.

Sinner, ranked at nine in the world, saved all eight break points he faced to clinch a tough 6-7 (4/7), 6-4, 6-4 second-round triumph.

“It was a tough match for sure. He had a lot of chances,” said Sinner after reaching his ninth quarter-final of the year.

“I made a couple of mistakes in the tie-break but that can happen. On grass courts it’s never easy, and the way I reacted, especially mentally, I guess I did a good job. Obviously playing against him is never easy.”

Sinner will next face Alexander Bublik who reached the quarter-finals with a 6-3, 6-7 (4/7), 6-3 victory against Germany’s Jan-Lennard Struff.

Bublik hit 43 winners, including 23 aces as he reached his second quarter-final of the season.