Final in Sofia.
2021 Sofia Open - an ATP 250 tournament, on Hard Indoor, in Sofia, Bulgaria, 27 September - 3 October 2021.
Event rescheduled last year to 8-14 November 2020 due to COVID-19.
Defending champion:
Jannik Sinner who defeated Vasek Pospisil 6-4 3-6 7-6(3)
Final:
Jannik Sinner (1) (Italy) v Gaël Monfils (2) (France)
Prior to this final, Sinner had won two of the three contests between the pair, including the third round five setter at last month’s US Open.
Sinner was attempting to win his fourth title from his fifth final, already having won two trophies from three finals this year - the latest Washington D.C. in July.
Monfils was aiming for his eleventh title from his 32nd final. This was his first final in 2021. He won two titles in February 2020.
Sinner served first and held without concern.
After an ace and 30-0, Monfils double faulted, then netted a forehand. The Frenchman’s skill at the net garnered him a game point, but another double fault brought it to deuce. A poor Monfils forehand gave Sinner a break chance. It was saved, but a second chance came with a thundering Italian off forehand winner. Another forehand was also out of reach for Monfils and he was broken. 2-0 Sinner.
Sinner consolidated for 3-0, but at 4-2 he was down 15-40, following a series of errors. The two break points were saved after a Monfils backhand went long and then a prolonged rally finished with his backhand flying wide. The Italian sealed the game with two brilliant points - one finished with a cross court hammer from out wide which Monfils could barely touch, then another won with a forehand nonchalantly placed into open court. The top seed led 5-2.
At 5-3, Sinner raced to 40-0 and three set points, on the back of French mistakes. One was saved. Not the next, as Monfils netted a backhand, leaving Sinner the set 6-3.
In the opening game of set two, Monfils just missed with a forehand down the line. He then hit a backhand long to be down 0-30. Sinner netted a forehand return, but a wild Monfils forehand presented Sinner with two break points. The second of these was converted after a Monfils backhand failure and Sinner led 1-0.
Sinner consolidated with a love game for 2-0.
In game four, Sinner was taken to deuce, the only time for either player in the set apart from game one.
In fact, six of the ten games in the set were love games, including the tenth where Sinner served for the match.
The Italian won 6-3 6-4,
Title number three for 2021, and four in the career of Jannik Sinner, who moved to #10 in the ATP Race to Turin.
No comments:
Post a Comment