"There aren't many players like him": Sinner praises Atmane after their Beijing clash
In a match where suspense lasted through two sets, Jannik Sinner demonstrated his ability to overcome difficulties against Terence Atmane. Although the Frenchman pushed Sinner to his limits, the Italian ultimately triumphed.
Jannik Sinner needed two hours to overcome a tenacious Terence Atmane in the Beijing tournament's round of 16. The world number 2 Italian nevertheless had the final word (6-4, 5-7, 6-0) and qualified for his 13th consecutive hardcourt quarterfinal. The 24-year-old player reacted to his on-court victory and shared thoughts about his opponent.
"There aren't many players like him on the tour, that's for sure. He has a unique playing style. Plus, he's left-handed. He's truly a great player. He's improved tremendously since Cincinnati.
Today was a bit more complicated for him in the third set, he had cramps. But it was a tricky match for a second round. I had a break advantage twice in the second set, but couldn't consolidate.
That's sports, these things happen. Maybe I was less focused at certain moments. I was a bit nervous, that's normal. I'm happy to be through to the next round.
It's not easy to make changes to your game. I tried some serve-and-volley. Sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn't. You also need to wait for the right moment to attack, and sometimes I don't wait for the opportune moment.
But the faster I change certain things in my game, the sooner I'll see the benefits, perhaps in a few months. I'm mainly trying to fight, to win as many matches as possible.
Being in the quarterfinals again means a lot to me. We'll see what happens, I look forward to it," Sinner told The Tennis Letter after his victory.
Pékin 
