MONTE CARLO (Reuters) – Jannik Sinner was made to toil by Hubert Hurkacz as the Italian seventh seed saved a matchpoint to seal a 3-6 7-6(6) 6-1 victory at the Monte Carlo Masters on Thursday and book his spot in the quarter-finals.
Watched on by sprint great Usain Bolt in the stands, Hurkacz raced to a 3-0 lead before Sinner got on the board and the world number 13 wobbled towards the end of the opening set before wrapping it up with two fiery first serves.
Sinner, a Monaco quarter-finalist last year as well, found himself in more hot water shortly after the second set began but the 21-year-old hit back after dropping serve to grab a break and level at 2-2.
Hurkacz raised his game to force a tiebreak and looked in control but the scrappy Sinner saved a matchpoint and dragged the contest into a decider. The Italian then got his nose in front and held firm to complete the win as Hurkacz faded.
German qualifier Jan-Lennard Struff earlier stunned fourth seed Casper Ruud 6-1 7-6(6), ending the Estoril champion’s nine-match winning streak on clay stretching back to last July.
World number one Novak Djokovic meets Lorenzo Musetti as he continues his quest for a record-extending 39th Masters trophy and builds momentum ahead of the French Open, while defending champion Stefanos Tsitsipas will play Nicolas Jarry.
In-form third seed Daniil Medvedev, the winner of four hardcourt tournaments in 2023, will take on Alexander Zverev in the pair’s first claycourt meeting.
Italian Matteo Berrettini earlier withdrew from his meeting with sixth seed Holger Rune due to an abdominal injury, sending the Danish teenager through to the last eight.
(Reporting by Shrivathsa Sridhar in Bengaluru; Editing by Toby Davis)
