By Karolos Grohmann
PARIS (Reuters) -World number one Jannik Sinner delivered a flawless performance to pulverise Czech Jiri Lehecka 6-0 6-1 6-2 in little more than 90 minutes on Saturday, to burst into the French Open fourth round and issue a ominous warning to other title contenders.
The 23-year-old Italian, who returned to tennis in May after a three-month-doping ban, won the first 11 games in a row, and has so far found no resistance en route to the last 16.
He has yet to drop a set in his second tournament back, after reaching the final in Rome earlier in the month.
“Today I was playing really, really well,” Sinner said. “He was serving very well and brave. But I am very happy.
“My coach had (his) birthday yesterday and usually when he has birthday I don’t play good. Luckily I was not playing yesterday.”
“This morning I said to my team I feel well,” he added. “I warmed up feeling really well, trying to go on court with a good focus. My team gave me the right tactics. It is a combination also being happy on court.”
Sinner exploded into action, racing through the first set with a bagel in 25 minutes.
The Czech was left stunned, wondering how to counter such power and precision, but before he came up with any answer he was already trailing 3-0 in the second set.
Pinned to the back, Lehecka could only watch how Sinner’s shots flew past him, including a sensational baseline forehand winner that earned the Italian a 4-0 advantage.
The 23-year-old world number 34 earned a big cheer when he finally got onto the scoreboard at 5-1 but his ordeal was far from over.
Sinner served out the second set before proceeding to break shell-shocked Lehecka at the very start of the third.
Running his panting opponent ragged, Sinner earned another break and put him out of his misery with his first match point.
The top seed has now stretched his winning streak at Grand Slam events to 17 matches, after winning the titles at the 2024 U.S. Open and the Australian Open in January prior to his doping ban.
He will next face 17th-seed Andrey Rublev, who advanced after his opponent Arthur Fils of France withdrew with a back injury.
(Reporting by Karolos GrohmannEditing by Christian Radnedge)
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