World No. 1 Jannik Sinner secured his place in the Cincinnati Masters 1000 round of 16 with a workmanlike 6-2, 7-6 victory over Canada’s Gabriel Diallo on Tuesday. Despite facing unexpected resistance from the 35th-ranked Canadian, Sinner maintained control throughout the match at Ohio’s Lindner Family Tennis Center.
The South Tyrol native saved a set point in the second-set tiebreak with a powerful forehand response. While both players hit 20 winners, Diallo’s 51 unforced errors contrasted sharply with Sinner’s 20, underscoring an uneven contest. “I didn’t always play well tonight. My serve faltered in some games,” Sinner admitted post-match before immediately requesting practice court time. He later spent an hour refining his serve on Cincinnati’s fast hardcourts.
“Encountering varied challenges helps me prepare for Slams,” explained the 23-year-old, who turns 24 this Saturday. “These complex matches rebuild my instincts for New York.” Despite limited playtime in 2024 due to a Clostebol-related suspension, Sinner has qualified for November’s Nitto ATP Finals in Turin. His 23rd consecutive hardcourt victory places him fifth since 2000 for longest streaks—joining Federer, Nadal, Murray, and Djokovic.
Sinner, defending his Cincinnati title, next faces France’s Adrian Mannarino. The 89th-ranked left-hander stunned 16th seed Tommy Paul 5-7, 6-3, 6-4. Mannarino trails 0-3 in career meetings against Sinner. The Wednesday matchup’s timing remains uncertain after a technical blackout disrupted the tournament schedule.
In other action, Italy’s Lorenzo Sonego (world No. 36) fell 7-6, 7-5 to fourth-seeded American Taylor Fritz. Fritz now holds a 21-4 record since June and became the sole player to reach at least the round of 16 in all four hardcourt Masters events this season.