site.btaItalian Jannik Sinner Wins Sofia Open Tennis Tournament

Sofia, November 14 (BTA) - Italian tennis player Jannik Sinner, 19, become the youngest ATP Tour champion since 2008 (Kei Nishikori, 18, Delray Beach) after winning the trophy at 2020 Sofia Open here on Friday, the organizers of the tournament said on their website.

Sinner is the first Italian ATP champion in the Open Era after winning the final against 30-year-old Canadian Vasek Pospisil 6:4, 3:6. 7:6 (3).

The World No. 44 has defeated back-to-back seeded opponents to reach the final in the Bulgarian capital. He lost only one set in his way to the final - against the third seed Alex de Minaur in the quarter-finals when he recovered from a set down to qualify for the semi-final.

Jamie Murray and Neil Skupski are the 202 Sofia Open doubles champions. The second-seeded Brits triumphed Friday with the trophy of the fifth edition of the ATP 250 tournament in Sofia after top-seeded Jurgen Melzer (Austria) and Edouard Roger-Vasselin (France) withdrew from the final clash due to Melzer's shoulder injury.


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Youth and Sports Minister Krasen Kralev told Bulgarian National TV on Saturday that Sofia Open 2020 can serve as an example on how to hold a tournament during a pandemic. "The spectators in tennis are completely different than those in other sporting events. There is exceptional discipline and order. There are 1,500 people present in a hall with a capacity of 12,000 spectators, which is more than enough. There is no yelling, no emotions. While the game is played, taditionally the spectators are silent and only applaud at the end. According to Kralev, this tournament could be shown as an example on how to hold a competition and how the spectators should behave. "When the time comes when we open sporting events for spectators once again, I will insist that we follow this protocol and organizational model," the Bulgarian Sports Minister said, adding that playing sports and taking part in competitions helps relieve stress during the pandemic.