The lean 20-year-old Italian was quite overplayed in the opening set as his Spanish opponent battered him with baseline after baseline to wn the first set 6-3. Jannik Sinner wasn’t used to this instant punishing shots making him commit 19 unforced errors in the process. But he mentally promised himself to get his game together and fast. Spain’s Roberto Carballes Baena came on determined and aggressive. He was more recognized as a clay court specialist than Sinner, but he started having difficulty keeping his superior play over the Italian. Sinner already has captured 5 career titles and been on tour for only four years ago.
Sinner wasn’t sure he’d ever win if you asked him at the opening set but he confessed to the ATPtour.com media that “…It was a tough match, especially in the beginning, long rallies. The key was to keep going and trying to make the key points in each set…” He wasn’t going to be brutally defeated if at all so his game in the second set was dramatically different with him being the aggressor on the clay specialist. Sinner was able to neutralize Carballes Baena’s tough baselines, opeing up the court and coming up with the winning points to get the match at 3-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-3.
Jannik Sinner has had a fairly good year with making the quarterfinals in more than half of the tournaments he entered. He’s defeated Stefanos Tsitsipas at the Italian Open. Alex Zverev in Monte-Carlo, and Nick Kyrgios at Indian Wells to name a few. The next opponent will be Mackenzie McDonald and Sinner has mentioned to the ATPtour.com media that “I played a final in Washington…He’s a great mover, he knows how to play every shot…I’m expecting a very tough and long match…” But despite not winning any titles in 2022 yet, Sinner hasn’t lost a match to any player or qualifier beyond the top 12 rankings.
The Italian was interviewed at press after winning over Carballes Baena and when asked “how much experience do you feel you have at this moment in your career?” He smiled and replied “of course I am still young but from the slams that I played already I think I have a little bit of experience for sure, maybe not as much as some players…” Jannik Sinner is very confident that he will continue on an upsweep of gaining experience as he is put to the test of playing a selection of players on tour of all rankings. “…Let’s see how far I can go…” he said, smiling as his red curly hair fell in his face. he gives a big grin and knows the skills he has and isn’t nervous about putting away any opponent ever.