Jannik Sinner made an immediate statement on Monday at Wimbledon. The Italian overpowered Argentine Juan Manuel Cerundolo 6-2, 6-2, 6-2 to reach the second round at the grass-court major.
One year ago, Sinner won the first two sets of his quarter-final at The Championships against Novak Djokovic before succumbing in five sets. Djokovic went on to win the title.
Sinner showed no ill effects from that devastating defeat, cruising past Cerundolo on Centre Court in just one hour and 29 minutes. The eighth seed was never in difficulty, dominating with his power from the baseline, crushing 28 winners to just 16 unforced errors.
“The walk on the court is a special moment obviously. Then starting Wimbledon on the Centre Court, knowing already before with the roof closed, I know today was very tough to play outdoors,” Sinner said. “Happy, happy about the win. Already motivated for the next one.”
With play suspended around the grounds due to darkness, Sinner wrapped up the day’s action under the Centre Court roof. The Italian thrilled fans with a Pete Sampras-like jumping smash in the last game and closed out his victory without losing his serve (2/2 break points saved).
Sinner will next play former Top 10 star Diego Schwartzman, who eliminated Miomir Kecmanovic 6-0, 6-3, 6-4. The Argentine is 9-16 in tour-level matches this year and is winless against Sinner (0-3, zero sets won).
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A potential fourth-round opponent for Sinner is ninth seed Taylor Fritz, whose match against Yannick Hanfmann was suspended due to darkness with the American leading 3-2 in the fifth set.
Like Sinner, Fritz suffered fifth-set heartbreak last year at The Championships. The American fell to Rafael Nadal in a final-set tie-break in the quarter-finals.
The 25-year-old appeared in jeopardy of another tough exit in London when he fell behind two-sets-to-one against the in-form Hanfmann, who is at a career-high No. 45 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings. Less than two months ago, Hanfmann defeated Fritz 6-4, 6-1 on clay in Rome.
But Fritz was able to claw his way to a deciding set, saving nine of the 13 points he faced. Play was suspended at the 3-2 changeover just after 8:40 p.m. local time due to darkness.
The matches that were suspended and will resume Tuesday are as follows:
Ninth seed Taylor Fritz leads Yannick Hanfmann 6-4, 2-6, 4-6, 7-5, 3-2
Quentin Halys leads 27th seed Daniel Evans 6-2, 6-3
Radu Albot leads 26th seed Denis Shapovalov 7-5, 2-2
Harold Mayot leads Benjamin Bonzi 6-3, 5-3
20th seed Roberto Bautista Agut leads Roman Safiullin 6-2, 6-7(7), 7-6(4)
Bernabe Zapata Miralles leads 29th seed Tomas Martin Etcheverry 7-6(5), 7-5 3-6
Guido Pella leads 13th seed Borna Coric 6-3, 4-4