Jannik Sinner’s ruthless version had been missing for a few tournaments after his confidence was shaken by Carlos Alcaraz during the US Open swing. However, his commanding run at the Six Kings Slam, where he defeated Alcaraz convincingly in the final, coupled with a return to his preferred indoor conditions, marked the perfect setting for a resurgence. And indeed, that is exactly what happened, as the dominant version of Sinner made a strong return.
The world No. 2 began his European indoor swing in emphatic fashion, producing a first-set bagel and cruising past Daniel Altmaier 6-0, 6-2. It was a dominant performance from Sinner, who dropped just four points on serve throughout the match, faced no break points, and created six break opportunities of his own.
With this win, Sinner extended his indoor hard-court winning streak to 20 matches, his last defeat on the surface coming at the 2023 ATP Finals. He has reached at least the quarterfinals in Vienna in each of his last three visits and went unbeaten during his most recent appearance in 2023, when he claimed the title.
Flavio Cobolli is currently fatigued and physically worn down, but his issues were less exposed in his Vienna opener, where he faced a physically vulnerable opponent in Tomas Machac. Cobolli managed to win in straight sets, reaching the second round in Vienna for the second consecutive year, after falling in the second round on his debut in 2024.
Cobolli has risen quickly on the main tour and even recently made his top-20 debut, but he is still seeking a breakthrough win against a big-name opponent. In his young career, he has played 12 completed matches against top-10 players and has lost every single one. Although he is gaining experience in these high-level battles and engaging in increasingly competitive clashes, he has yet to find a path to victory.
Head-to-head: 0-0. Jannik Sinner has not lost to a fellow Italian since the Cincinnati Masters qualifiers in 2020, when he was surprisingly defeated by Salvatore Caruso. He is currently on a 16-match winning streak against Italian opponents and is the overwhelming favorite to extend that streak with a dominant victory.