tennis | Sinner beats De Minaur to win Canadian Open title

Seventh-seeded Italian Jannik Sinner secured his first Masters 1000 title with a dominant 6-4-6-1 win over Australian Alex de Minaur in Sunday’s Canadian Open final.

Competing in his third Masters 1000 final this year after finishing second at the Miami Open in 2021 and this year, Sinner defeated De Minaur five times and saved two from four break points to clinch the biggest title of his career.

The 21-year-old Italian, who was delighted to reach the Wimbledon semi-finals last month, felt his ability to handle pressure situations helped him get past De Minaur.

“I get used to difficult situations. I got separated a few times and he came back, but I tried to stay mentally calm. I was prepared for a long fight,” Sinner, the first Italian to win the event, said in his in-court interview.

“In the second set I played a little better, raised the level a bit, but I tried to stay a little more aggressive… I’m very happy with my level today.”

Sinner played well from the start, showing little nervousness as he showed his guns and took more risks than De Minaur, who struggled to create winners.

The two friends, who lost in the first round of men’s doubles earlier this week, traded breaks twice in a tight opening set before Sinner held and then closed the frame with a break to love.

Sinner took control in the second set as he consolidated a break for the first time in the entire game to give Minaur a 4-1 lead.

“It means a lot,” said Sinner about the win. “When you work hard such a result can help you and in your head you feel like you are doing the right things with your team and I am happy to share this with all the people who are close to me every day. ”