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Competing for the first time since the quarter-final defeat to Rafael Nadal at Roland Garros, Jannik Sinner is through to the last eight in Cologne following a 6-3, 6-1 win over Pierre-Hugues Herbert. The encounter lasted for an hour and 16 minutes, with a teenager having the advantage following a reliable performance on both serve and return.
The Italian lost serve twice in the opening set but that was hard to notice thanks to an impressive account on the return, stealing almost 60% of the points behind Herbert's initial shot and delivering six breaks. Dictating the rally with his forehand, Sinner earned a break in the first game of the encounter, getting broken in the next one when his forehand drive-volley found the net.
The youngster broke at love in the third game and held with an ace to open a 3-1 gap, only to suffer a break in game six that brought the Frenchman back into contention. Pierre-Hugues suffered the third break in game seven when his forehand landed long, allowing Sinner to clinch the set with another return game at 5-3.
Jannik secured the third straight break when Pierre-Hugues netted a volley in the second game of the second set, taking full control and wrapping up the seventh consecutive game following a break in game four. Serving at 4-0, Jannik fended off three break chances, sealing the deal with a service winner at 5-1 for the place in the quarter-final.
Gilles Simon ousted the 3rd seed Denis Shapovalov 6-1, 4-6, 6-2, dominating the sets he won to beat the Canadian for the first time. Shapovalov scored three breaks but that wasn't enough to keep him safe, struggling behind the initial shot and giving serve away seven times to hit the exit door.
Simon scored three straight breaks in the opener for 6-1, losing ground slightly in the second set to fall 3-2 behind.
Jannik Sinner and Diego Schwartzman are through to the last eight in Cologne 2.
Denis saved a break point in game six and served well in the remaining two games to take the set 6-4.
Instead of building on that, the Canadian suffered three breaks in the decider, pushing the Frenchman over the top following another poor service games at 2-5. Competing as the top-10 player for the first time, Diego Schwartzman defeated Oscar Otte 6-3, 6-2 in an hour and 19 minutes.
Diego saved both break chances and earned three return games to control the scoreboard with almost half of the return points. The Argentine claimed the opening set with a break in game six and raced into a 4-0 lead in set number two.
Serving for the victory at 5-2, Schwartzman produced another fine hold to move over the top and advance into the quarters.