# Tennis: Jannik Sinner got his Italian Open campaign underway on Saturday by swatting aside Sebastian Ofner 6-3, 6-4, to start his bid to extend a record-breaking run of five straight Masters 1000 tournament victories. Sinner won his 24th consecutive match in one hour and 40 minutes to set up a clash with Alexei Popyrin or Jakub Mensik in the third round. No Italian man has won at the Foro Italico since Adriano Panatta 50 years ago, and with Carlos Alcaraz out of action, Sinner is expected to go one better than last year when he lost the final to his great rival.
In the women’s draw world number one and favourite for overall victory, Aryna Sabalenka, followed men’s tennis icon Novak Djokovic in going out early following a 2-6, 6-3, 7-5 loss to Sorana Cirstea. Sabalenka was visibly frustrated with her performance on centre court, muttering to herself with her shoulders slumped during an uncharacteristically sloppy display. Meanwhile Jasmine Paolini’s defence of her Italian Open title came to an early end after the home favourite was knocked out by Elise Mertens, 4-6, 7-6, 6-3. French Open champion Coco Gauff is still in the hunt after taking over two hours to beat Argentina’s Solana Sierra 5-7, 6-0, 6-4.