PARIS: World number two Jannik Sinner eased into the French Open fourth round with a ruthless 6-4 6-4 6-4 victory against Russian Pavel Kotov on Friday.
The Australian Open champion, wearing a long-sleeve undershirt on yet another chilly day, only faced one break point in a one-sided encounter.
Kotov, who was hoping to beat a second Grand Slam champion in a row after eliminating Stan Wawrinka in the previous round, got off to a fiery start but Sinner was still a level above in the first set.
The Italian got another early break in the second to move two sets up and the same pattern was repeated in the third as Sinner wrapped up victory with an ace on match point to set up a meeting with either Austrian Sebastian Ofner or local favourite Corentin Moutet.
Sinner also beat Kotov in straight sets in the Madrid Masters in April.
“It was very different, I just tried to stay very focused on my game. Thanks for the support, it’s amazing to play on this court,” Sinner said on court Philippe Chatrier, where the stands gradually filled up after lunch time.
Rublev dumped out by inspired Arnaldi
Italy’s Matteo Arnaldi produced a sensational performance to take out sixth seed Andrey Rublev and reach the last 16.
The 23-year-old saved a set point in the opening set and went on to dominate his emotionally-charged opponent for a 7-6(8), 6-2, 6-4 victory to equal his best Grand Slam run.
Russian Rublev ranted and raged at himself as the match began to slip away, thumping his racket into his legs and kicking his courtside bench as another chance at a deep Grand Slam run came to a bitter end on the Parisian dust.
Arnaldi, who also reached the fourth round of last year’s US Open, was rock-solid throughout and barely put a foot wrong as he posted one the biggest wins of his career.
Rublev has reached 10 Grand Slam quarter-finals without ever going further but on this occasion even that proved beyond him as he could find no answer to Arnaldi’s accuracy and power.
He is the highest-seeded casualty so far in the men’s draw.