DJOKOVIC BLITZ TEEN SINNER IN STRAIGHT SETS; NADAL WIN

Monaco, April 14: Novak Djokovic swept past promising Italian teenager Jannik Sinner 6-4, 6-2 in Monte Carlo on Wednesday on the Serbian World No.1’s first appearance since claiming the Australian Open in February.

And the man he is seeded to meet in the final, Rafael Nadal, encountered even less resistance in brushing aside Federico Delbonis 6-1, 6-2 on his delayed return after injury since losing in the quarter-finals in Melbourne.

Sinner, 19, shot to prominence by making it into this month’s Miami Open final.

The World No.22 had seen off Spain’s Albert Ramos-Vinolas in straight sets 6-3, 6-4 at this Masters 1000 event to book his first ever date with Djokovic.

But it proved a one-sided contest at the Monte Carlo Country Club, with Djokovic sweeping into the next round in one hour and 34 minutes.

Djokovic will next face for the first time Briton Daniel Evans — a “very smart player” — who ousted Hubert Hurkacz, Sinner’s Miami conqueror, for a place in the quarterfinals. —