Doha witnessed a commanding performance from Jannik Sinner on Monday as the No. 2 seed launched his campaign at the Qatar ExxonMobil Open with a decisive victory over Tomas Machac, 6-1, 6-4.

Sinner Returns to Winning Ways

The win marks Sinner’s return to the ATP Tour following a hard-fought semi-final loss to Novak Djokovic at the Australian Open. The 70-minute match extended Sinner’s winning streak in ATP 500 tournaments to 11 consecutive matches, having previously secured titles in Beijing and Vienna last October.

“Today was a little bit worse than yesterday,” Sinner said of the windy Doha conditions. “But you have to adapt to every situation and condition on the court. We also played a couple of matches before, so I knew a little [about] what to expect. I felt good on court today. Physically I feel good. Every match is going to get tougher, so hopefully I will be ready for the next one.”

Jannik Sinner

Efficient Performance

Sinner showcased remarkable efficiency, dropping just six points on serve throughout the match, according to Infosys ATP Stats. He expertly navigated an aggressive start to the second set from Machac, ultimately sealing the victory with a strong finish on his own serve.

Next Round Challenge

Sinner will now face Alexei Popyrin in the second round. The head-to-head record between the two players stands at 1-1, with their most recent encounter taking place at the US Open in 2025.

Other Notable Results

Daniil Medvedev, the No. 4 seed, also secured a victory, defeating Juncheng Shang 6-4, 6-2. He will next face either Stefanos Tsitsipas or Moez Echargui. Jakub Mensik and Arthur Fils also advanced to the second round, alongside Valentin Royer.