Tennis: Sinner says excellent match all things considered

General

“It was an excellent match, all things considered,” said Jannik Sinner after the world number one beat Czech Jiro Lehecka in straight sets to reach the semi-finals of the ATP 500 China Open in Beijing amid a World Doping Agency (WADA) appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) against his virtual acquittal for the allegedly accidental use of a banned steroid.

“An excellent match, considering all things”, the 23-year-old South Tyrolean Australian Open champion told a press conference after beating Lehecka 6-2 7-6, coming from 6-4 down in the tie-break to win 8-6.

“It’s not easy to manage the situation”, he added, replying again to a question on the WADA appeal: “However, obviously we try to do everything we can, my team and I, to be ready for every match”.

Today, he continued, “it went better than the first and second match (in Beijing).

“I started well in the first set.

“In the second set I had some opportunities, but Jiri is a very aggressive player.

“I tried to stay in the match and it was im
portant to have closed the match in two sets”.

Source: Ansa News Agency