Roland Garros 2021: 3 talking points from Jannik Sinner's win over Pierre-Hugues Herbert
Jannik Sinner overturned a two-sets-to-one deficit against local favorite Pierre- Hugues Herbert to advance to the second round at Roland Garros.
The Italian took the first set in just 21 minutes, but Herbert fought back to claim the next two and even held match point in the fourth set. However, Sinner dug deep to stay in the contest and eventually prevailed 6-1, 4-6, 6-7(3), 7-5, 6-4.
Here are three talking points from the Italian's victory:
#1 Jannik Sinner's mental strength shines through
Sinner, 19, found himself against the ropes in the fourth set against Pierre-Hugues Herbert, who was being cheered on by a partisan French crowd.
But the Italian showed maturity beyond his years by saving multiple break points in the eighth game, as well as a match point in the 10th.
That said, most of the Italian's problems were self-inflicted. Sinner fought back from a 2-5 deficit in the third set to force a tiebreak, where he made unforced errors at key points to hand the initiative straight back to Herbert.
The Italian's 36 unforced errors may seem low in comparison to Herbert's 62 but the timing of those errors - especially in the third and fourth sets - could have led to his exit.
#2 Pierre-Hugues Herbert shows the importance of variety on clay
Pierre-Hugues Herbert came into the encounter as the underdog, and after losing the first set in less than half an hour, the odds of him turning the match around were massive.
However, the Frenchman's versatility and smart shot selection helped him gain a foothold. Herbert approached the net over 70 times during the match, and used his serve-and-volley and deft drop shots to disrupt Sinner's rhythm from the baseline.
Claycourts tend to favor baseliners who are consistent and have a strong defensive game, but Herbert's performance shows how important it is to have variety even on slow surfaces.
#3 Jannik Sinner's efficiency on return
Jannik Sinner showcased some outstanding tennis from the baseline to complete his comeback against Pierre-Hugues Herbert. But it was the Italian's return of serve, particularly under pressure, that shone.
Sinner won 42% of the points on Herbert's serve and was extremely efficient on break points, winning eight of 10, as compared to the Frenchman's four breaks of serve from 12 attempts.
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