Jannik Sinner, Popyrin swagger: "I have a plan ready for him"
Who got off to a strong start at the US Open with a peremptory 6-1, 6-1, 6-2 win over Czech Vit Kopriva, Jannik Sinner now focuses on his second-round opponent, Australian Alexei Popyrin. The world number 36 is a rival not to be underestimated, who in his only previous encounter with the Italian champion won in two sets on clay in Madrid by the scores of 7-6, 6-2.
Popyrin, who overcame Finland’s Emil Ruusuvuori, did not give himself away at all and warned Sinner: “Of course there’s a plan for him, there is a strategy to beat everyone. What is it? I won’t tell you — I”ll keep it to myself.
“Jannik is undoubtedly the strongest player in the world, but these are the matches that excite me-I will have to think about my game and do everything to the best of my ability to create difficulties for him”.
The two know each other well, having both come through the school of Riccardo Piatti: “I experienced a complicated start to the season, and that is why I am outside the top30. The two-week break I took after Wimbledon, however, helped me” continued the determined Australian.
