Jannik Sinner raises voice, controversy over match times in Madrid

Jannik Sinner after beating Cameron Norrie said he was pleased with the performance, “I’m happy to be in the quarters in a tournament I’m playing for only the fourth time. I played a solid match, trying to raise my level in the important moments. I served well, I was aggressive, and I can be satisfied.”

But, hot on his heels, Sinner also doesn’t shy away from a dig at the organization of the Atp in Madrid. Not so much for the early wake-up call: the No. 1 criticizes the evening schedule: “I don’t mind having had to get up early to play this match, but to play two matches after 8 p.m. is too late. You run the risk of finishing past midnight, and this, inevitably, forces us to adjust our preparation according to the schedule.”

On the Manolo Santana of the Caja Mágica, the Italian overcame the Briton 6-2 7-5 in one hour and 26 minutes, thus detaching the pass for the quarterfinals of the Madrid Masters 1000. A lucidly managed victory: in the first set Sinner immediately imposed his law, dominating from the middle of the court with his backhand and snatching serve with regularity until 6-2. In the second set Norrie raised his level, managing to stay hooked in the score, but at 5-5 the South Tyrolean upped the tempo again, finding more weight in response and more precision in his groundstrokes to close 7-5.

This was the first-ever confrontation between the two on the major circuit, a curious fact considering that both have been professionals for about five years. Norrie himself had admitted on the eve of the match that he was looking forward to facing him for the first time. “He has enormous confidence in his own means, he is probably the most confident player on the circuit right now,” the Briton told Sky Sports microphones, while promising to try to “put him under pressure, imposing my game and staying aggressive point by point.”