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Jannik Sinner is into his ninth ATP quarter-final of the season in Halle. World no. 9 prevailed over his compatriot Lorenzo Sonego 6-7, 6-4, 6-4 in two hours and 52 minutes, overcoming an early deficit and emerging at the top to remain on the title course.
Sinner claimed ten points more than Sonego, firing ten aces and winning 53 out of 65 points behind the first serve. Lorenzo failed to convert eight break points, and Jannik grabbed two return games from 11 opportunities to cross the finish line first.
The lower-ranked Italian faced four break points in the encounter's second game and denied them to avoid an early deficit. After missing his chances, Jannik found himself 40-0 behind on serve in the third game. The young gun denied all three break points and blasted an ace to bring the game home and open a 2-1 advantage.
Sinner played against another break point in game five and landed a forehand crosscourt winner to deny it and remain on the positive side.
Jannik Sinner defeated Lorenzo Sonego in three sets in Halle.
It was the last challenging game for the servers, as they produced comfortable holds in the remaining seven and introduced a tie break.
Jannik netted a routine volley to fall 3-2 behind before forcing the rival's mistake in the next point. Lorenzo secured another mini-break in the ninth point to open a 5-4 gap and caused Jannik's error at 6-4 to wrap up the opener in a grueling 70 minutes.
Sinner saved two break points in the second set's second game and held at 15 in the fourth for 2-2. Sonego sprayed a forehand error in the fifth game to lose serve and fall 3-2 behind. Jannik saved another break point in game six and created three set points on the return at 5-3.
Lorenzo erased them and held with a forehand winner to extend the set. World no. 9 served for the set in game ten and held at love to introduce a decider after two hours and six minutes. Jannik saved a break point in the third set's second game and served well in the remaining ones to keep the pressure on the other side.
He broke Lorenzo at 15 in game seven with a forced error after the return and landed a forehand winner at the net in the next one to open a 5-3 gap. Sonego held at love in game nine to prolong his chances before Sinner sealed the deal with a forehand down the line winner in the next one for a place in the quarter-final.