This was Jannik Sinner's worst defeat in terms of ranking since he lost to world number 66 Dusan Lajovic in Cincinnati in August 2023 Jannik Sinner's Wimbledon preparations suffered a blow as the world number one lost to 45th-ranked Alexander Bublik in the Halle Open second round. Defending champion Sinner lost 3-6 6-3 6-4 to Kazakhstan's Bublik - his worst defeat by ranking since August 2023. It is the first time Sinner has lost to someone other than world number two Carlos Alcaraz since August 2024. The loss also ended the Italian's 66 match-winning streak against opponents outside of the top 20. French Open champion Coco Gauff also suffered a surprise defeat in her first match of the grass-court season, losing 6-3 6-3 to China's Wang Xinyu at the Berlin Open. World number 48 Wang ended Gauff's seven-match winning run just 12 days after her Roland Garros triumph. Elsewhere in Berlin, world number one Aryna Sabalenka beat Swiss Rebeka Masarova 6-2 7-6 (8-6) in a match that took place across two days. The Belarusian took the first set on Wednesday before bad light forced play to be suspended. Sabalenka, beaten by Gauff in the French Open final, returned on Thursday and came back from a break down to wrap up a straight-set win. Sabalenka will face Kazakh Elena Rybakina in the quarter-finals after the former Wimbledon champion beat Czech Katerina Siniakova 6-4 7-6 (7-5). Marketa Vondrousova, who won the Wimbledon title in 2023, beat Russian Diana Shnaider 6-3 6-7 (3-7) 6-3. Elsewhere at the Halle Open, Russian Andrey Rublev was another big name to fall, failing to convert two match points in a 3-6 7-6 (7-4) 7-6 (8-6) loss to Argentine Tomas Martin Etcheverry. But German world number three Alexander Zverev recovered to beat Italian Lorenzo Sonego 3-6 6-4 7-6 (7-2).
Sinner suffers worst loss by ranking since 2023
TruthLens AI Suggested Headline:
"Jannik Sinner Suffers Upset Loss to Alexander Bublik at Halle Open"
Bbc News
7.7
TruthLens AI Summary
Jannik Sinner experienced a significant setback in his Wimbledon preparations as he faced a surprising defeat against Alexander Bublik, who is currently ranked 45th in the world. This loss marks Sinner's worst defeat by ranking since his earlier loss to Dusan Lajovic, ranked 66th, in Cincinnati in August 2023. The match concluded with scores of 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 in favor of Bublik, ending Sinner's impressive streak of 66 consecutive match wins against players ranked outside the top 20. Notably, this defeat is particularly poignant for Sinner as it is the first time he has lost to anyone other than world number two Carlos Alcaraz since August 2024, highlighting a rare vulnerability in his otherwise strong performance on the tour.
In addition to Sinner's loss, the grass-court season also saw French Open champion Coco Gauff suffer a surprising defeat in her opening match at the Berlin Open. Gauff lost to China's Wang Xinyu, ranked 48th, with a score of 6-3, 6-3, which ended her seven-match winning streak just days after her triumph at Roland Garros. Meanwhile, Aryna Sabalenka, the world number one, showcased resilience by defeating Swiss player Rebeka Masarova in a match that spanned two days. Sabalenka managed to come back after a suspended match due to bad light, ultimately winning 6-2, 7-6 (8-6) and setting up a quarter-final clash with Elena Rybakina. The Halle Open also featured notable results, including Andrey Rublev's unexpected exit after failing to convert two match points against Tomas Martin Etcheverry. In contrast, Alexander Zverev managed to advance after overcoming Lorenzo Sonego in a tightly contested match, demonstrating the unpredictable nature of early tournament rounds as players gear up for Wimbledon.
TruthLens AI Analysis
You need to be a member to generate the AI analysis for this article.
Log In to Generate AnalysisNot a member yet? Register for free.