Sinner scores French semi-final at expense of fellow Italian

Jannick Sinner defeated fellow Italian Lorenzo Sonego 6-4, 6-2 as he continued to break ground at the ATP Montpellier tournament by reaching a first semi-final here on Friday.

The No. 17 spent 94 minutes in keeping a clean career slate against countrymen, 6-0.

“I know him very well from playing Davis Cup together,” the winner said.

“He is a very nice person, very humble. We practised together at the beginning of the tournament.

“It was bad luck to play already in the quarter-finals but I am very happy to be here.”

Sinner, who reached the Australian Open second week before losing to eventual finalist Stefanos Tsitsipas, improved to 7-2 on the season.

He now faces Arthur Fils after the teenager beat fellow Frenchman Quentin Halys 7-6(3), 6-3; Fils becomes the youngest French player to reach a Tour-level semi-final since Richard Gasquet in Metz in 2004.

“He is very strong physically already. He understands the game very well. He started off the year very well, so it is going to be an interesting match for sure,” Sinner said of his upcoming 117th-ranked opponent.