French Open: Italian Sinner saves 11 set points on way to the fourth round

Paris, May 28 (IANS) Italy’s Jannik Sinner saved 11 set points on his way to victory against American Mackenzie McDonald in straight sets, making it to the fourth round of the French Open for the third consecutive year on Saturday.Sinner, struggling with an upper leg injury during his men’s singles match, rallied from 2-5 down in the second set and saved 11 set points on his way to a 6-3, 7-6(6), 6-3 third-round triumph over the 60th-ranked American. It marked the third straight year Sinner has advanced to the second week at Roland-Garros — his most successful major — and will meet No.7 seed Andrey Rublev in the next round. Two years ago, Sinner made a remarkable debut when he surprised seeds David Goffin and Alexander Zverev. It took eventual champion, Rafael Nadal, to halt the then 18-year-old in the quarter-finals and again in the fourth round in 2021.”I think both of us were not feeling well on the court, but I am very happy to be through and that I found a solution. I am not feeling 100 percent, that is for sure,” Sinner said in his on-court interview.”But I have seen a solution. I served very well today in the important moments and I am very happy I broke him immediately at the start of the third set,” he was quoted as saying the ATP tour website.–IANSbsk