Eight days ago, Jannik Sinner couldn’t make it through his match against Carlos Alcaraz in the Cincinnati Open final due to an illness.
He then withdrew from last week’s U.S. Open mixed doubles tournament, fueling speculation the top seed wouldn’t be himself for the final Grand Slam of the season. As recently as late last week, Sinner said he still wasn’t 100 percent.
That time off, however, seemed to do the trick. Sinner looked fit and in form Tuesday, taking care of Vit Kopriva 6-1, 6-1, 6-2 for his 22nd straight hard-court victory in a Grand Slam.
“I feel in good shape physically,” Sinner said after the brief one-hour, 38-minute match at Arthur Ashe Stadium. “[I had] some good practice days, especially the last couple. Yeah, I feel physically in a good spot. Also a good first-round match, so I’m very happy. Let’s see what’s coming.”
Up next is Alexei Popyrin, a 6-3, 6-4, 7-6 (3) winner over Emil Ruusuvuori. Popyrin pulled off the upset of the U.S. Open a year ago by knocking off Novak Djokovic, the 2023 champion, in the third round.
This was the start Sinner was hoping for. The Italian dropped just four games, didn’t lose his serve once and broke Kopriva seven times in 10 opportunities. The only hiccup came late in the third set. Sinner requested a medical timeout for an issue with his finger. It didn’t slow him down.
Sinner, 24, has won his past three hard-court majors, claiming last year’s U.S. Open, along with the Australian Open in 2024 and 2025. He is looking to become the first man to repeat in Flushing since Roger Federer in 2008 and to join Federer, Rod Laver and Djokovic in reaching the final of all four Grand Slams in the same year in the Open era. That dates back to 1968.
“Amazing memories. Obviously, every year is different,” Sinner said. “You come here starting this tournament hopefully the best possible way, which I did.”
