ORTISEI, November 14, 2019
Jannik Sinner delighted his home crowd at the Tennis Club Ortisei on Thursday evening by reaching the quarterfinals of the Sparkasse Challenger Val Gardena Südtirol with a convincing third-round win over Roberto Marcora of Italy.
In the pair’s second meeting following Sinner’s triumph in the championship match of the ATP Challenger in Bergamo, the 18-year-old from South Tyrol came out on top again. Sinner didn’t face a break point and won 56 per cent of the total points played to secure victory in 62 minutes.
“Marcora is a good player but also player, Jannik has to beat,” Sinner’s coach, Riccardo Piatti said.
Sinner will next be challenged by fellow Italian and No. 8 seed Federico Gaio, who beat Danilo Petrovic from Serbia 6-4, 6-4. The pair will meet for the first time. “This will be the next test,” Piatti added.
some snow @ATPChallenger in Ortisei ❄️✌️ pic.twitter.com/yfoNZJUorb
— Christopher Kas (@KasiTennis) November 13, 2019
Earlier in the day, Elliot Benchetrit caused the upset of the day by knocking out the tournament’s No. 3 Salvatore Caruso, winning 6-3, 6-2. The World No. 231 from France fired 13 aces and won 90 per cent of his first-service points to advance in only 54 minutes. Benchetrit will next play his compatriot Antoine Hoang. The No. 6 seed edged past Briton Jan Choinski 7-5, 6-4 in one hour and 12 minutes.
Peter Gojowczyk also booked his spot in the quarterfinals. The No. 5 seeded German beat big-serving US-American Maxime Cressy 7-6(4), 6-2 to take on Italian veteran Luca Vanni. The 34-year-old cruised past Andrea Pellegrino 6-0, 6-2 in just under one hour of play.
Italian teenager Lorenzo Musetti continued his good run of form by beating No. 14 seed Bernabe Zapata Miralles of Spain. The 18-year-old wild card entry saved the only break point he faced and broke his rival’s serve four times to prevail after only 57 minutes.
Up next for Musetti will be Sebastian Ofner, who emerged victorious from the all-Austrian battle with Dennis Novak 3-6, 6-3, 7-6(6) after one hour and 37 minutes.
