Jannik Sinner, equaled Barazzutti
Jannik Sinner by record
Jannik Sinner è the fourth Italian tennis player of all time to reach the quarterfinals in a Grand Slam tournament without losing a set and playing at least three matches. Before him, only three other Italian tennis players had achieved this prestigious milestone.
The first Italian tennis player to reach the quarterfinals in a Slam without losing sets è was Gianni Cucelli at Roland Garros in 1948. In that tournament, Cucelli got a bye in the first round and subsequently overcame; William Young of the United States by 63 63 62, Dilip Bose of India by 62 63 61 and Australian legend Frank Sedgman by 76 64 63.
The second Italian to achieve this feat was Beppe Merlo, who did so in both 1955 and 1956 at Roland Garros. In 1955, Merlo defeated Andres Hammersley of Chile 60 60 63, Arsenio Motolko of Uruguay 62 61 61, Gerard Pilet of France 75 64 86 and Philippe Washer of Belgium 62 62 61. In 1956, he eliminated; Dimitri Sturdza of Switzerland by retirement, Irvin Dorfman of the United States by 60 63 62, Robert Haillet of France by 64 62 64 and Robert Perry of the United States by 62 63 63.
Finally, the third Italian tennis player to reach the quarterfinals in a Slam without losing a set before Jannik Sinner was Corrado Barazzutti, who did so at the 1977 US Open and 1980 Roland Garros. At Forest Hills in 1977, Barazzutti overcame Bill Scanlon of the United States in the first round by 62 64, Ilie Nastase of Romania in the second round by 64 64, Mark Edmondson of Australia by 61 60 in the third round, and Butch Walts of the United States by 62 60. Three years later, at Roland Garros in 1980, Barazzutti eliminated Ross Case of Australia by 62 64 61, Tom Gullikson of the United States by 63 62 61, Belus Prajoux of Chile by 62 64 63 and Peter McNamara of Australia by 64 62 76.
Mention should also be made of Giorgio de Stefani, who reached this milestone twice in the '30s, but playing only one match the first time and two matches the second time. In Roland Garros in 1934, de Stefani reached the quarters, beating Australia's Alan Stedman and France's Edouard Thurneyssen by retirement, before taking the court and overcoming France's Andre Merlin by 86 62 62. The following year, in 1935, at the International Championships of Australia, de Stefani reached the quarters by beating Australia's Dubley Frankenberg 61 61 61 and Australia's John Clemenger 62 76 62.
