Jannik Sinner wins first match after French Open final heartbreak

Top-ranked tennis player Jannik Sinner marked his return to competitive tennis with a convincing 7-5, 6-3 victory against German player Yannick Hanfmann at the Terra Wortmann Open in Halle.

This was Sinner's first match since his loss to Carlos Alcaraz in the Roland Garros final, and he successfully defended against both break points during the 92-minute match at OWL Arena.Sinner, who holds the No. 1 position in the PIF ATP Rankings, demonstrated strong serving skills throughout the match, winning 84 percent of points on his first serve.The 23-year-old Italian improved his 2025 record to 19-2 and extended his winning streak against opponents outside the Top 20 to 66 matches."I'm very happy. He is a great server and a great baseliner, so breaking him is very difficult on this surface. I'm very happy how I handled the tough situations mentally. The first set could have gone into a tie-break and then anything can happen," Sinner said after his victory.

"I'm very happy about my performance. First matches are never easy on grass, and also second and third matches, so let's see what's coming in the next round.

I think tomorrow I have the day off, which is good, because the body feels different on this surface. Let's see how I'm going to react."Sinner's next challenge will be against 2023 champion Alexander Bublik in the second round. The Italian leads their head-to-head series 4-1, with Bublik's only victory coming from a retirement during his Halle title run two years ago.

"The unexpected," said Sinner, when asked he expected from his clash with Bublik. "He's a great player. A great talent. A huge talent, actually, and grass is his favourite surface. He beat me here in Halle, he won [the trophy] here in Halle, so it's for sure a place he loves to play. I'm trying to stay calm mentally and trying to see what I can reach. He's a great talent, a great server and he can do whatever he wants. It's hopefully going to be a good match.

"

The match against World No. 138 Hanfmann showcased Sinner's continued dominance on the professional circuit, particularly against lower-ranked opponents.