Sinner returns with comfortable win in Qatar

February 17, 2026 No Comments

Sinner returns with comfortable win in QatarImage source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Jannik Sinner reached all four Grand Slam finals last year, winning the Australian Open and WimbledonByBen CollinsBBC Sport journalistPublished20 minutes ago1 Comments

World number two Jannik Sinner enjoyed a comfortable victory in his first match since losing to Novak Djokovic in the Australian Open semi-finals.

The Italian claimed a straight-set win over the Czech Republic’s Tomas Machac at the Qatar Open in Doha on Monday.

Sinner won 6-1 6-4 – wrapping up the first set in 27 minutes – and was then interviewed by former England footballer Rio Ferdinand.

Sinner will face Australia’s Alexei Popyrin in the last 16, with the world number 53 having beaten local favourite Mubarak Shannan Zayid 6-0 6-2.

Sixth seed Jakub Mensik is also through to the last 16 having come from behind to beat Great Britain’s Jan Choinski.

After losing a first-set tie-break to the world number 124, the Czech number one recovered to win 6-7 (6-8) 6-2 6-4.