14 August,2023 10:08 AM IST | Toronto | mid-day online correspondent
Jannik Sinner (Pic: AP)
Jannik Sinner beat Alex de Minaur 6-4, 6-1 to clinch the National Bank Open for his maiden ATP Masters 1000 title.
Sinner, the 21-year-old Italian player seeded seventh, has eight tour victories, also winning in February at Montpellier. He's the second Italian Masters 1000 champion, following Fabio Fognini in the 2019 event in Monte Carlo.
"It means a lot. It is a great result," Sinner said. "One I can share with all the people who are close to me every day. It is a nice moment to share with them and we are doing the right things. This result makes us feel good, stronger and hungry to work even harder in the future."
Sinner broke de Minaur's serve five times in the 90-minute match.
De Minaur, from Australia, won in March in Acapulco for his seventh tour title.
"It was a breakthrough week for me," De Minaur said. "I had a nice week here in Toronto. I played some great tennis and it gave me a taste of it. My maiden (Masters 1000) final and I will be back."
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Sinner, runner-up last spring in Miami, reached his second final of the season at the elite level with a 6-4, 6-4 defeat of American Tommy Paul.
Meanwhile, De Minaur put an Australian into a Canadian final for the first time since 2001 with his 6-1, 6-3 defeat of Alejandro Davidovich Fokina. The last Aussie to reach the title match here was Patrick Rafter - who had lifted the 1998 trophy.
De Minaur maintained his hardcourt form from last weekend in Los Cabos, where he finished runner-up to Stefanos Tsitsipas.
Sinner had to battle in his fourth career Masters semi-final, claiming the opening set in 53 minutes and winning a 46-shot rally to take a 5-2 lead in the second set.
Sinner was broken while serving for victory but recovered a game later for victory on his third match point.
(With agency inputs)
