Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the ATP Cincinnati match.
The opening stretch of the North American hard-court swing has been positive for Jannik Sinner, though his last outing offered mixed impressions. Standing between him and the quarter-finals is the experienced Adrian Mannarino, who has looked surprisingly sharp and effective in Cincinnati.
Jannik Sinner
Sinner continues to underline his status at the very top. Since last season, he has won all 19 matches against opponents over the age of 30, with four of his last five such contests on hard courts ending in straight sets. He has beaten Mannarino in all three of their previous meetings, twice wrapping things up in two sets. In Cincinnati, the Italian cruised past Daniel Elahi Galan, and while Gabriel Diallo took him to a tie-break, Sinner still sealed the match in two. Across those two rounds, he has hit 12 aces and won an average of 86% of points behind his first serve.
Adrian Mannarino
Mannarino’s unorthodox style can disrupt rhythm, but his record against top-five opponents is poor — just three wins in 24 attempts. On hard courts, he has only one win in his last 16 matches at this level. The Frenchman has battled through several tricky opponents here, including a comeback against Tommy Paul that kept him on court for almost three hours. However, age and a gruelling schedule — four matches in five days — could weigh heavily, especially against someone who plays at Sinner’s relentless pace.
Jannik Sinner vs Adrian Mannarino Prediction
Sinner should control proceedings from start to finish. Mannarino is unlikely to sustain resistance for long given the physical toll and the Italian’s ability to dictate at high speed. Expect a comfortable straight-sets win with a healthy margin in games.
