Sinner survives challenge from Cincinnati qualifier

Cincinnati: Jannik Sinner fought off eight break points as the top seed began the Cincinnati Masters with a 6 4, 7 5 triumph over US qualifier Alex Mi...

Cincinnati: Jannik Sinner fought off eight break points as the top seed began the Cincinnati Masters with a 6-4, 7-5 triumph over US qualifier Alex Michelsen on Wednesday.

The world number one Italian, who turns 23 on Friday, has never been past the third round at the American Midwest venue but is hoping to improve on that showing this week.

Victory in just under two hours marked the 25th of the season for Sinner, who is the first man into the third round at the ATP-WTA tournament, the last big test before the August 26 US Open start.

The top seed has not lost before the quarter-final stage of any event since Masters 1000 Shanghai last October.

Teenaged Michelsen went down with 42 unforced errors, his winner count of 14 exactly half of Sinner's total.