International, Sinner beats Cerundolo: two Italians in the quarterfinals after 41 years

Jannik Sinner shows everyone because it is number 1 in the world and completes a triumphant day for Italian tennis at the International of Italy. Rain and glory, three out of three wins for the Azzurri: Paolini, Musetti and, in the evening, Sinner, very good at tamed a feared and in great shape opponent, the Argentine Francisco Cerundolo, with the score of 7-6 (2) 6-3. Third game won, without losing a set, here at the hole, on returning after the three months of disqualification. Count that has risen to 24 consecutive victories by putting in line all the meetings played since last October. Thus, Jannik qualifies for the quarterfinals, where we place two Italians on the male scoreboard of the international, which has not happened since 1984 (Claudio Panatta and Cancellotti). Musetti will return to the field tomorrow, Sinner will face the winner between the Norwegian Ruud and the Spaniard Munar on Thursday. Among the women, Paolini is already in the semifinal.

the premises

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Today’s commitment was very difficult on paper. Cerundolo had presented ourselves with the best -reached best ranking (n.18) and with the record in the most circuit of wins on Earth in 2025: 18 out of 24, in a rich countryside embellished by the Madrid semifinals, from the Buenos Aires final and by the two barefoots of Zverev. For Sinner, however, this was only the third game of the year on Earth, given that the first matches played them right here, after the suspension for the Clostebol case. In addition, the Argentine had been the last to beat Jannik in the previous adventure at the hole, in the round of 1623. Very difficult commitment on paper, and also to the proof of the facts.

the game

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The challenge between Sinner and Cerundolo lives an exhausting preamble. The beginning was set around 5 pm, after the triumphal match of Jasmine Paolini, but the rain moves the time forward until 19.30. In the long wait, Jannik enjoys the corridor playing bowls with his team. Finally, you go on the pitch. Aggressive departure of blue that does not use 4 break balls in the first game. Break that arrives on 2-2, on the third occasion, planting his feet inside the field and trying to immediately establish the hierarchies. Cerundolo, however, draws the accounts, at the end of a game that lasted 16 minutes in which Italian has two chances to take 4-2 but surrenders to the fifth break ball for the opponent. It is not a good game, errors on one side and the other, the climatic conditions and the humidity of the surface that are felt. Sinner, in particular, often struggles to find the supports. He insists on the diagonal of reverse, where Cerundolo is more phalloid, but his tennis goes intermittently. It is played on the edge of balance. On 4-5 and 15-30 Sinner finds an ace and takes the game home. On the 5-5 he tries in vain to snatch the service from the Argentine. We go to the tie break. It is here that Sinner climbs the level, as he only knows how to do. Super concentrate, very shiny, practically nothing grants and prevails 7-2. It is the eighth tie break in a row that wins, the 17th of the last 19 played, the 26th of the last 29 (including Davis). The Argentine, for its part, completes the first set with 34 errors, against the 14 of Italian. In the second part, Jannik has blisters on his feet and must resort to medications. In the fourth game Cerundolo saves a break ball thanks to the providential help of the ribbon, but Sinner has now taken confidence and conquered portions of the field and, to the second attempt, induces the other to the reverse error. It is 3-1 for the South Tyrolean who then flies 5-1, undergoes the counterbreak, saves two balls of 5-4 and closes 6-3.