WORLD number one Jannik Sinner became the first player to qualify for the end of year Nitto ATP Finals this week, and reached the National Bank Open quarter finals overnight in the process. The Italian top seed, who withdrew from the Olympics due to illness, proved too strong for Chilean Alejandro Tabilo in their Round of 16 clash to win 6-4 6-3 and advance through to the last eight.

Sinner already has four titles in the bank including the Australian Open, and he was simply unstoppable on serve, winning 23 of 25 points off his dirst serve, andd 14 of 23 (61 per cent) off his second serve. Excluding three double faults, Tabilo only won eight points on return, and while the Chilean’s first serve percecntage was strong (69 per cent), he struggled more off his second (43 per cent).

That allowed Sinner to take full advantage in the 80-minute win, breaking three times from six chances and wuinning a total of 42 per cent off return. The world number one also served five aces to one in the win, with his first serve efficiency (52 per cent) perhaps the sole area of improvement he will need to up when he takes on Russian Andrey Rublev in the quarter finals.

Against Tablio, Sinner said he knew the match would be tough, and he was glad to get through it and prepare for another quarter finals appearance.

“Tricky opponent, tricky conditions,” Sinner said post-match. “It is difficult playing against this type of player. Huge lefty, big potential. I had to be very careful, looking a lot to make the game. It felt like a good match. I know in my mind I have to play one more time [today], so there is not much time to be happy and recover. I am happy to play again later.”

Sinner leads Rublev 5-2 from their previous seven encounters, having last faced him at the Australian Open in the quarter finals stage when the eventual winner went on to win in straight sets, 6-4 7-6 6-3.

“When you are a set and a break up you want to close it in two,” Sinner said. “If I want to play the second match today, I had to win the first one. So if it took three or four hours, it takes that long. It will be a tough match against Andrey. He played great today.”

AROUND THE COURTS

In other results, American Sebastian Korda would have been relieved to have a walkover against Casper Ruud in the Round of 16, having to beat countryman Taylor Fritz earlier in the day, 6-4 7-6. He will take on second seed Alexander Zverev in the final eight, after the German proved too strong in a tight one over 13th seed Holger Rune, 6-3 7-6.

Australian Alexei Popyrin continued his ridiculous giant-killing run, knocking out Bulgarian seventh seed Grigor Dimitrov in a two-hour and 38-minute epic, 4-6 7-6 6-3 to reach the quarter finals, having already dispatched of Ben Shelton and Tomas Machac.

Former top five-er Kei Nishikori also kept his run going, reaching the quarter finals after a 6-3 6-4 defeat of Portugal’s Nuno Borges. He will take on Italian Matteo Arnaldi in the next round ofter Arnaldi got past Alejandro Davidovich Fokina with the latter forced to retire down 3-0 in the deciding set.