Jannik Sinner recovered from a shaky game to win 6-4, 3-6, 6-2, 6-2.©AFP
Jannik Sinner defeated unseeded Russian Roman Safiullin at Wimbledon on Tuesday to reach his first Grand Slam semifinal. The Italian eighth seed bounced back from a shaky halfway game to win 6-4, 3-6, 6-2, 6-2 and will face either Novak Djokovic or Andrey Rublev for a place in Sunday’s final. “Obviously it was tough,” said the 21-year-old, who lost a two-set lead over love against Djokovic in last year’s quarterfinals.
“I had a break in the second. I got a little bit confused mentally, so this is a part we’re working on a lot and obviously I’m really happy with how I reacted in the next couple of sets.”
Sinner said he would come to court with a “good mindset” in his semifinal.
“I know Novak hasn’t lost on Center Court in 10 years, so it will be a tough one, but maybe it’s my day and in a different way Andrey is also playing for the first time (to reach the semi-finals). I’m trying to rest and enjoy the most important game so far.”
A single break was enough for Sinner to take the first set, but Safiullin, ranked 92, found his feet level in the second set and won the last five games to recover from a 3–1 deficit. But Sinner bounced back and lost just four more games, winning the tough clash in two hours and 14 minutes.
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