There will be a first-time ATP champion after Jannik Sinner and Vasek Pospisil square off in the final of the Sofia Open on Saturday afternoon.
Pospisil is 0-2 lifetime in finals, while Sinner is playing in his first. It was only a matter of time, of course, for the 19-year-old. And he is climbing the rankings–and playing for ATP titles–as fast as anyone could have expected. Sinner is already up to No. 44 in the world and he will break into the top 40 if he triumphs on Saturday. The Italian has earned 18 of his 29 career main-tour match wins this season, which includes a quarterfinal run at the French Open. So far in Sofia he has taken out Marton Fucsovics, Marc-Andrea Huesler, Alex de Minaur, and Adrian Mannarino while dropping just one set to de Minaur.
Pospisil was almost down and out right at the start of the week, when lucky loser Illya Marchenko served for their first-round match at 5-4 in the third set and also led 4-0 in the ensuing tiebreaker. The world No. 74 somehow survived and then rolled over Jan-Lennard Struff and John Millman before overcoming Richard Gasquet 6-7(6), 6-2, 6-0 in the semis. Gasquet was hobbled by a back injury the whole way, so a huge step up in competition level awaits Pospisil on Saturday.
Although Sinner is playing in his first final, the pressure is going to be on Pospisil. The Canadian can’t be sure how many more opportunities he will have for an ATP title, while Sinner is likely to play for all kinds of titles–many much bigger than this one–throughout his career. Both mentally and physically (Pospisil has had some injury concerns of his own in recent weeks), Sinner should have a slight edge.
Pick: Sinner in 2
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It is not going to be an easy match. It is a final. If Popisil plays his best tennis, he is capable of winning this match.
The match was good Jannik won the first set, Vasek the second, and sadly for Vasek, the young Italian got the best of Vasek in the third set tie break.
Vasek Pospisil seems like such a classy person but he doesn’t seem to play his best in singles. I thought Vasek had a good chance to finish strong and win but Jannik had the confidence. Congrats to both. And good luck to them in 2021.