PARIS: Jannik Sinner’s bid to reclaim the No. 1 ranking got off to a good start Wednesday with a 6-4, 6-2 victory over Zizou Bergs in the second round of the Paris Masters, which the Italian needs to win to knock Carlos Alcaraz off the top spot.
Sinner’s 65-week reign as No. 1 ended in September when Alcaraz won the US Open final against him for his sixth major title and the top spot. But Alcaraz lost in Paris on Tuesday in the second round to unseeded Cameron Norrie, opening the door for Sinner in their seesaw rivalry.
Sinner had Bergs under constant pressure, forging 11 break-point chances and converting three, while not conceding a break point of his own. The 24-year-old Italian clinched victory on his first match point and plays unseeded Francisco Cerundolo in the third round.
Defending champion Alexander Zverev joined Sinner in round three by rallying from 3-1 down in the final set to beat Camilo Ugo Carabelli 6-7 (5), 6-1, 7-5.
The third-seeded German made a telling difference on his second serve, winning 78 percent of points compared to 42 percent for his opponent, who dropped his serve four times. Zverev next plays 15th-seeded Alejandro Davidovich Fokina.
Elsewhere, ninth-seeded Felix Auger-Aliassime of Canada rallied from a break down in the second set and 3-0 down in the third set tiebreaker in a 5-7, 7-6 (5), 7-6 (4) win over Frenchman Alexandre Muller.
Auger-Aliassime’s erratic performance combined 50 winners and 55 unforced errors as he he maintained his chances of reaching the season-ending, eight-player ATP Finals in Turin, Italy. He next faces unseeded Daniel Altmaier, who beat eighth-seeded Casper Ruud 6-3, 7-5 to end the Norwegian’s chances of reaching Turin.
No. 11 Daniil Medvedev advanced with a walkover after Grigor Dimitrov — the 2023 tournament runner-up — pulled out of their match with a shoulder injury.
Family affair
Valentin Vacherot came out on top again in the battle of the cousins as he beat Arthur Rinderknech 6-7 (9), 6-3, 6-4.
“It was very physical. Mentally, it was hard, as well,” Vacherot said. “We were very tense, I think the crowd could see it.”
A little more than two weeks ago, Vacherot won the Shanghai Masters final against Rinderknech, making a run from qualifying in China to win his first career tournament.
The 40th-ranked Vacherot, who is from Monaco, plays Norrie next.
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Jannik Sinner’s No. 1 bid starts with 2nd-round win over Zizou Bergs at Paris Masters
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Jannik Sinner’s No. 1 bid starts with 2nd-round win over Zizou Bergs at Paris Masters
- Sinner’s 65-week reign as No. 1 ended in September when Alcaraz won the US Open final against him
- Sinner had Bergs under constant pressure, forging 11 break-point chances and converting three
Trezeguet brace gives Ahly CAF Champions League victory
Success for the Red Devils in Alexandria opened a three-point lead in Group B for the record 12-time African champions
Ahly have seven points and Young Africans four after three rounds
JOHANNESBURG: Former Aston Villa striker Mahmoud ‘Trezeguet’ Hassan scored the goals that gave Al Ahly of Egypt a 2-0 victory over Young Africans of Tanzania on Friday in the CAF Champions League.
Success for the Red Devils in the Mediterranean city Alexandria opened a three-point lead in Group B for the record 12-time African champions.
Ahly have seven points and Young Africans four after three rounds. JS Kabylie of Algeria and FAR Rabat of Morocco, who meet on Saturday, have one point each.
Young Africans created more chances than Ahly in a cagey first half only to fall behind in the third minute of added time.
A perfect cross from Mohamed Hany was nodded by captain Trezeguet into the corner of the net past Mali goalkeeper Djigui Diarra.
Ahly stamped their authority on the match in the second half and deservedly increased their lead on 75 minutes.
Slick, one-touch passing set up Trezeguet, who moved across several defenders inside the area before curling the ball into the far corner of the net.
The goals lifted Trezeguet to five in the Champions League this season, level with Brazilian Tiago Reis from Angolan club Petro Luanda at the top of the charts.
Slovenian substitute Nejc Gradisar squandered a good chance to put Ahly even further ahead when he fired wide with only Diarra to beat.
In Group C, Abdelrazig Omer bagged a brace as Al Hilal of Sudan drew 2-2 with former champions Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa in Pretoria in another top-of-the-table clash.
Sundowns, whose lone title came in 2016, and Hilal have five points each, with the South Africans ahead on goal difference.
A victory for either Saint-Eloi Lupopo of the Democratic Republic of Congo or Mouloudia Alger of Algeria in Lubumbashi on Sunday will move the winners within one point of Sundowns and Hilal.
Omer put Hilal ahead on 15 minutes from close range after a run down the wing and pass from Burundian Jean Claude Girumugisha.
Sundowns were level seven minutes later as Brazilian Arthur Sales got behind the Hilal defense and his weak goal attempt trickled into the net.
A thunderbolt from South African international Teboho Mokoena from outside the box on 64 minutes edged Sundowns in front.
But once again a lead lasted only seven minutes. Poor defending by Sundowns enabled Omer to score again and take his goal tally in Africa this season to four.
Hilal substitute Emmanuel Flomo from Liberia was shown a straight red card for striking Khuliso Mudau in the face, leaving the visitors to play with 10 men for the last four minutes of regular time.
A further four matchday three fixtures are scheduled for Saturday, including defending champions Pyramids of Egypt away to Renaissance Berkane of Morocco.
Ahly have seven points and Young Africans four after three rounds
JOHANNESBURG: Former Aston Villa striker Mahmoud ‘Trezeguet’ Hassan scored the goals that gave Al Ahly of Egypt a 2-0 victory over Young Africans of Tanzania on Friday in the CAF Champions League.
Success for the Red Devils in the Mediterranean city Alexandria opened a three-point lead in Group B for the record 12-time African champions.
Ahly have seven points and Young Africans four after three rounds. JS Kabylie of Algeria and FAR Rabat of Morocco, who meet on Saturday, have one point each.
Young Africans created more chances than Ahly in a cagey first half only to fall behind in the third minute of added time.
A perfect cross from Mohamed Hany was nodded by captain Trezeguet into the corner of the net past Mali goalkeeper Djigui Diarra.
Ahly stamped their authority on the match in the second half and deservedly increased their lead on 75 minutes.
Slick, one-touch passing set up Trezeguet, who moved across several defenders inside the area before curling the ball into the far corner of the net.
The goals lifted Trezeguet to five in the Champions League this season, level with Brazilian Tiago Reis from Angolan club Petro Luanda at the top of the charts.
Slovenian substitute Nejc Gradisar squandered a good chance to put Ahly even further ahead when he fired wide with only Diarra to beat.
In Group C, Abdelrazig Omer bagged a brace as Al Hilal of Sudan drew 2-2 with former champions Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa in Pretoria in another top-of-the-table clash.
Sundowns, whose lone title came in 2016, and Hilal have five points each, with the South Africans ahead on goal difference.
A victory for either Saint-Eloi Lupopo of the Democratic Republic of Congo or Mouloudia Alger of Algeria in Lubumbashi on Sunday will move the winners within one point of Sundowns and Hilal.
Omer put Hilal ahead on 15 minutes from close range after a run down the wing and pass from Burundian Jean Claude Girumugisha.
Sundowns were level seven minutes later as Brazilian Arthur Sales got behind the Hilal defense and his weak goal attempt trickled into the net.
A thunderbolt from South African international Teboho Mokoena from outside the box on 64 minutes edged Sundowns in front.
But once again a lead lasted only seven minutes. Poor defending by Sundowns enabled Omer to score again and take his goal tally in Africa this season to four.
Hilal substitute Emmanuel Flomo from Liberia was shown a straight red card for striking Khuliso Mudau in the face, leaving the visitors to play with 10 men for the last four minutes of regular time.
A further four matchday three fixtures are scheduled for Saturday, including defending champions Pyramids of Egypt away to Renaissance Berkane of Morocco.
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