Poor old Jiri Lehecka will not forget the day he ran into the world no.1 Jannik Sinner at his most demonically ruthless — and still earned a standing ovation.
Lehecka is no mug, a 23-year-old Czech who reached the Australian Open a couple of years ago, who’s been on the verge of the top 20 and is still a force to be respected on tour at No.34.
None of which proved any defence against a supreme returning champion on a mission on Saturday as Sinner gave him such a hiding that the only decent thing the crowd on Court Suzanne Lenglen could do was to rise to their feet and roar when he finally won a game at the 12th time of asking.
Lehecka acknowledged the sympathy with a raised arm and fist pump, happy to take the rise out of himself. It didn’t get any easier, though, as he eventually left the arena schooled and shell-shocked, marmalised 6-0 6-1 6-2 in just over an hour and a half.
That’s now 17 grand slam wins in a row for Sinner, and it really looks as if the only thing his doping ban provided was a welcome bit of r and r for the 23-year-old. This, too, was his most dominant win ever at a grand slam.
“We try to improve,” said Sinner, who’ll meet a doubtless fearful Andrey Rublev in the last-16 on Monday. “Today, I don’t think there are many things I can improve.”
No-one was arguing. He hit 31 winners, made just nine mistakes, earned seven breaks of serve and saved the only break point he faced.
At least Rublev will be rested for his big date as his third-round match against Frenchman Arthur Fils never materialised with the French hope sidelined because of a stress fracture in his lower back.
The adventures of wonder boy Joao Fonseca were ended ruthlessly later on Lenglen by Britain’s increasingly impressive Jack Draper, the US Open semi-finalist who tamed the 18-year-old Brazilian 6-2 6-4 6-2.
Alexander Bublik, the Kazakh maverick who sent Alex de Minaur home in a second-round sensation, continued his fun with a 7-5 6-1 6-2 dismissal of Portuguese qualifier Henrique Rocha.
Alexander Zverev, last year’s finalist, negotiated a potentially difficult hurdle in the shape of Italian Flavio Cobolli, prevailing 6-2 7-6 (7-4) 6-1.
https://thewest.com.au/sport/tennis/sinner-in-the-most-devilish-form-at-roland-garros-c-18881361
