2023-11-20 11:51:00
TORINO. Jannik Sinner flies to the semifinals at the ATP Finals in Turin.
And the first Italian to reach the second round of the ‘masters’ tournament, a historic result for national tennis. Qualification arrived in the afternoon thanks to the result of Novak Djokovic, who won in three sets against the Polish ‘reserve’ Hubert Hurkacz. A few hours later the Italian talent returned the favor to the Serbian champion by overcoming, for the first time in his career, the Danish Holger Rune (6-2, 5-7, 6-4, at the end of a battle that lasted over two hours) and thus ‘gifting’ him the passage of the turn.
The Serbian had done everything to close the qualifying practice immediately, but he found himself facing a more difficult opponent than expected. The atmosphere in the stands – where the banner “When the going gets tough the tough start Djocare” stood out – was that of great occasions. Nole immediately appeared more foul than usual, collecting several gratuitous errors. Hurkacz responded blow for blow, until 6-6. Djokovic then put all his class and experience on the field, managing to take home the first set with an impeccable tiebreak (7-1). An effort which, however, he paid for with interest in the second set, where he conceded a break in the fifth game and in the end succumbed to the serving blows of the Pole, who closed 6-4. The spectators at the Pala Alpitour welcomed the decisive point with a roar.
It was 4.16pm yesterday, 16 November 2023, a date and time that will remain engraved in the history of Italian tennis. Nole got nervous, he argued first with the public and then with his corner. Coach Goran Ivanisevic calmed him down. The third set then had no history, with the world number 1 closing the match with a clear 6-1. Having taken over the tournament after the games were over, after the injury that knocked out the Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas, Hubi Hurkacz showed excellent form and left the pitch with his head held high.
With the victory in the second set, which “gave” the semifinal to the blue, he somehow made amends for the ‘rude’ of April 2021: on that occasion he beat Sinner in the final of the Master 1000 in Miami, the first time that the South Tyrolean appeared on the stage of the world’s top players. “A dinner out hosted by Jannik, perhaps here in Italy? I don’t know. Maybe…” the Pole replied smiling in the post-match press conference. Then he added: “We’ll see, maybe he sent me a message. He’s playing great. In any case Jannik has really great chances.”
For his part, Djokovic doesn’t look for excuses: “Hurkacz is one of the players I ‘love’ least on the court because he bothers me a lot with his serve. He has one of the best serves in the world and today he served in an incredible way. Mine was still a good victory.” Now for Sinner all that remains is to wait for the results of the ‘red’ group to find out who he will have to face in the semi-final. Three names in the running. He may be faced with it again Daniil Medvedev, until a few months ago his ‘bete noire’ but who he defeated in the last two direct matches (in the final of the Beijing and Vienna Opens). It would also be an opportunity to avenge the “yawn” gesture that the Russian made in his face, again in Turin, during the challenge at the 2021 Finals. Then there is the friend-rival Carlos Alcaraz, a Spanish champion, who is not going through a great moment of form but who is a guarantee of a show on the pitch. Finally German Sasha Zverevwho returned to the levels of a few years ago after the serious ankle injury.
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