Jannik Sinner returns to the field in search of poker
Wimbledon, è the day of Jannik Sinner vs Miomir Kecmanovic
After beating Matteo Berrettini in the spectacular tricolor derby staged on Wednesday evening, Jannik Sinner returns to the court on Friday and does so against Miomir Kecmanovic, fresh from successes in the previous rounds against Sumit Nagal of India and Tallon Griekspoor of the Netherlands, the tournament's No. 27 seed.
Sinner has already met the 24-year-old Serb three times, between 2019 and 2022: at the Next Gen Finals five years ago, he prevailed in the semifinals in four sets (2-4, 4-1, 4-2, 4-2 the partials, which as the rules of the Youth Finals stipulate end when the fourth game is won). The South Tyrolean would go on to win that edition, beating Alex de Minaur.
Sinner then met Kecmanovic in 2021, in the quarters of the Great Ocean Road Open, in Melbourne: 7-6(10), 6-4 the score, and even then the Italian champion would later win the tournament (in the final against Stefano Travaglia). Lastly, the last precedent dates back to 2022, to the Cincinnati Masters 1000 round of 16: in that case, too, Sinner prevailed, also aided by Kecmanovic's injury, who retired while trailing 7-5, 3-1.
In all three cases they è played on concrete (indoors at the Next Gen Finals in Milan, outdoors in Australia and the US). The one in venersì will be the first clash on grass between the two, Sinner is aiming for a poker win against Kecmanovic that would open the way to the round of 16.