JANNIK Sinner‘s remarkable 2020 season rolled on today after booking his spot in his first ever ATP Tour final at the Sofia Open. The 19-year-old Italian became the youngest payer from the European nation to reach an ATP Tour championships match, following his defeat of fifth seed Frenchman, Adrian Mannarino.

Having defeated Alex de Minaur in the quarter finals, Sinner was clearly the most talented player remaining in the last four, with an array of power and court coverage, something he used to advantage against the always determined Mannarino. The teenager was never going to have an easy go of it against the fifth seed, with Mannarino pushing him for the most part before the red head came away with the 6-3 7-5 triumph.

“It is nice to be in the final, playing one more match which, for me, is the most important,” Sinner said. “Today I felt quite well on court and it is good for me playing my first final this year. “I am looking forward to tomorrow.”

While Sinner did win the ATP Next Gen Finals last year, that is not an official ATP Tour tournament, with players only having to reach four games to win sets at the tournament. With no Next Gen Finals this year – given SInner’s form he is likely to back up his title from last year – Sinner entered Sofia and has lasted longer than any of the other would-be Next Gen competitors in de Minaur, Denis Shapovalov and Felix Auger-Aliassime.

Sinner plays his game with little fear and having not played Mannarino before, he just worked his way through it, producing nine aces and only three double faults, and winning 29 of 36 points off his first serve. The Italian saved all three break point opportunities for Mannarino, whilst taking both his own chances to break and win in the straight sets in 88 minutes.

“You go on the court with one plan, trying to do the things you would like to. Then it is possible that he is going to change something,” Sinner said. “He was serving well. I still had to manage how to return his serve, trying to let him move a little bit.”

Now Sinner will attempt to become the youngest ATP Tour winner since Kei Nishikori won the 2008 Delray Beach Open. Standing in the teenager’s way is Vasek Pospisil who accounted for Richard Gasquet in a stunning comeback, 6-7 6-2 6-0.

Trailing a set and 1-2 down, the Canadian finally found his rhythm, powering his way to 11 straight games to win in an hour and 51 minutes and blitz his French opponent. Pospisil’s serve was on song, producing 19 aces for only three double faults, and he won 85 and 67 per cent of his first and second serve points, saving the only break point opportunity afforded to Gasquet.

By contrast, Pospisil broke five times from seven chances, and managed to contain Gasquet to under 60 per cent off both his first and second serve points. While the Frenchman had put up a fight early, the Canadian just had too much power off his serve and disposed of the 34-year-old easily in the end.

Much like Sinner, Pospisil is gunning for his first ever title, though is 11 years his senior, aged 30. The 193cm Canadian turned pro in 2007 – when Sinner was six years old – which is still better than if Gasquet had won because the Frenchman turned pro the year after Sinner was born in 2002. Pospisil has had his fair share of injuries over the years and just never quite reached that title-winning level.

With fellow 30-year-old John Millman saluting two tournaments back in Nur-Saltan, perhaps it is now Pospisil’s turn. Though Sinner has more of an all-round game and is expected to get up and win the first of many tournaments given no surface worries him. Coming into the tournament, Sinner was ranked 30 places higher – 44th to 74th – and the winner will move up to either 42nd or 50th with Pospisil already closing in on that top 50. Both players were ranked either side of the top 100 at the start of the year.

Picture: Vladimir Stoyanov