“Sinner’s confident performance sets the tone for a deep run in Doha”
World No. 2 Jannik Sinner made an impressive return to competitive tennis at the Qatar ExxonMobil Open 2026 in Doha. In the opening round, he faced Tomas Machac and dominated the match, winning comfortably 6‑1, 6‑4.
Sinner set the tone early, racing through the first set with aggressive baseline play, sharp serving, and strong court coverage. He completed the match in about 70 minutes, showing the same confident form that took him to the Australian Open semi-finals just weeks earlier.
The Italian star remained focused throughout, breaking Machac’s serve multiple times and controlling the rallies with powerful groundstrokes. This was Sinner’s first official match since his five-set battle with Novak Djokovic in Melbourne, and he clearly made a statement with his performance.
With this victory, Sinner advances to the second round, where he will face Alexei Popyrin. Fans and analysts are optimistic about his chances in the ATP 500 event, as this strong start signals he is back in top form and ready to compete at the highest level.