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The Australian Open champion Jannik Sinner made a winning start in Rotterdam, defeating the home player Botic van de Zandschulp 6-3, 6-3 in an hour and 26 minutes. Last year's Rotterdam finalist notched his 11th straight win, outplaying his rival on serve and return and sailing into the second round.
Sinner fired 19 winners and sprayed 18 unforced errors, welcoming 27 mistakes from the other side and overpowering van de Zandschulp in the more advanced rallies. The Dutch player stayed in touch in service winners and the shortest range up to four strokes.
However, he squandered three break points at the beginning of the second set and experienced three breaks, propelling world no. 4 over the top.
Jannik Sinner defeated Botic van de Zandschulp in Rotterdam.
Botic held at 15 in the first game of the encounter with a forehand winner before embracing a challenging service game at 1-1.
The home player denied three break points with a brave hitting, bringing the game home with an ace and avoiding an early setback. Jannik grabbed the fourth game at 15 with a forced error and clinched a break in the next one with a forehand down the line winner that pushed him in front.
The Italian closed the sixth game at love, cementing the lead and firing a service winner in game eight for 5-3. Botic sprayed a forehand error on a game point in game nine and lost serve for the second time after an extended rally to hand the opener to Jannik 6-3.
The Australian Open champion played a wayward backhand at the beginning of the second set and faced three break points. Sinner denied them with two winners and a forced error, closing the game and gaining a massive boost.
Van de Zandschulp opened a 40-15 lead in the second game before Sinner extended it and grabbed a break when the home player placed a volley long. Jannik cemented the lead with a service winner in game three and held at 30 two games later for 4-1.
They served well in those moments, and the Italian forged a 5-2 lead with a backhand crosscourt winner. Botic served to stay in the match in the eighth game and experienced two match points. The Dutch player denied them and held, staying in touch and prolonging the battle.
However, Sinner landed a volley winner for 30-0 in game nine and fired a powerful serve for three match points. The young gun seized the first with a forehand crosscourt winner, moving over the top and making a winning start.