- Reuters
- 50 Minutes ago
Sinner eliminates Schoolkate, will face Giron in AO third round
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- Web Desk
- Jan 16, 2025
MELBOURNE: Jannik Sinner beat Tristan Schoolkate in four sets 4-6, 6-4, 6-1, and 6-3, in the second round of the Australian Open on Thursday. The number one ranked player upset the Aussie crowd who were hoping to see one of their own pull off the upset.
The first set was a closely fought battle, both players refusing to give up their service games in the sea of deuces. However, one of them finally pulled away in the tenth game of the set. And surprisingly, it was Schoolkate, who got the first break of the game and won the set 6-4 in four straight points.
Sinner then turned up the heat in the second set, pressuring Schoolkate in each of his service games while the Italian cruised through his own. It finally became too much for the Aussie to bear in the seventh game, as Sinner got his first break of the game in four straight points. The two continued to win their respective games until Sinner won the set 6-4.
Things became dire for Schoolkate in the third set as he failed to match Sinner’s exhausting pace. The Aussie began the set by losing his first service game, and failed to win his second either. Sinner dominated in his own service games, and got one more break in the seventh game to win the set 6-1.
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Schoolkate fared better in the fourth set, but that it didn’t stop it from being the final one. Sinner took the first three games to put the Australian on the defensive immediately. However, Schoolkate showed his mettle in his second service game. With there little hope to make a comeback at this stage, he continued to fight tooth and nail for every point.
After Sinner took a 40-15 lead in the game, Schoolkate fended off two break points to force a deuce. Sinner found himself with another opportunity to go four games up after taking the advantage. But, Schoolkate stopped him once again. The endless back and forth continued, and Sinner had three more break points during the game. However, Schoolkate triumphed in the end, as he refused to suffer another break.
And he didn’t for the rest of the game. The two would win their respective service games until Sinner won the set 6-3, and the match three sets to one.
Sinner will now face Marcos Giron in the third round of the Australian Open on January 18. Giron is currently ranked 46th in singles and has a career high of 37. The two have only faced each other once before at the ATP Masters 1000 Shanghai in 2023, in a contest that saw Sinner win in two straight sets.