MELBOURNE.- The number one in the world Jannik Sinner He beat the combative Chilean Nicolas Jarry on Monday and went to the second round of the Australian Openwhere he was warmly received despite the doping scandal.
After a 2024 full of successes, but marred by two positive doping tests, the Italian began his title defense in Melbourne against a tough rival.
The Chilean Jarry, number 36 in the ranking, put up resistance against Sinner, who needed 2 hours and 40 minutes to seal the pass with a score of 7-6 (7/2), 7-6 (7/5), 6-1 on center court Rod Laver Arena.
It was the Italian’s first match since the Court of Arbitration for Sport announced last week that in April it will study the World Anti-Doping Agency’s appeal against the light sanction imposed against him for two positive clostebol tests.
Sinner alleged that the substance entered his body accidentally because his physical therapist used a spray to heal a wound and gave him a massage without gloves. The International Tennis Integrity Agency believed his version.
This controversy did not prevent the Melbourne public from receiving him warmly, with applause when he entered the track and celebrations when he closed the victory.
“Today was a close match because in the first sets it could have gone either way,” said Sinner, who hasn’t lost since October.
“In the third, when I broke serve for the first time, it gave me some breathing room. I’m happy with how I handled a couple of difficult situations and happy to get through the first round,” he added.
Rowed against the current
Although the numbers were against him, Jarry fought the match and saved a set point at 5-6 in the first set, which ended up being decided in the tie-break.
The second set followed a similar course, but, again in the tiebreaker, Sinner imposed his superiority.
The Chilean’s determination was broken at the beginning of the third set, in which Sinner quickly took a 3-0 lead that was now definitive.
The Italian, who a year ago won his first Grand Slam after beating the Russian Daniil Medvedev in the Melbourne final, will face the Japanese Taro Daniel or the Australian Tristan Schoolkate in the next round.