Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the ATP Cincinnati match.
After his Wimbledon triumph, world No. 1 Jannik Sinner has finally returned from a month-long break. Despite the layoff, he is once again the outright favourite in Cincinnati and now faces his first real test in the form of Gabriel Diallo (No. 35 ATP).
Jannik Sinner
Sinner opened his campaign in emphatic fashion, dismantling Daniel Elahi Galan (6:1, 6:1). Yes, the Colombian is only ranked No. 144, but the display was still clinical — 96% first-serve accuracy at an average of 199 km/h, just four unforced errors to 17 winners, and complete dominance from start to finish. There is little reason to expect a major drop in level even against a stronger opponent.
Gabriel Diallo
Diallo’s main stumbling block this season has been opponents from inside the top 10. At three straight tournaments he has gone out in the second round — twice to Taylor Fritz (No. 4) and once to Ben Shelton (No. 6). More worryingly, his last two such matches ended in straight-set defeats without even reaching a tie-break. Now, against the world’s best, his task looks even more daunting.
Jannik Sinner vs Gabriel Diallo Prediction
Everything here points to a straightforward Sinner win. The Italian is clearly in a different class, making it difficult to imagine Diallo being competitive in either set.
