Bouncing back from Melbourne heartbreak, Jannik Sinner delivers a masterclass in Qatar, signaling he is ready to reclaim his dominance.

Doha — Champions are defined not by how they win, but by how they recover from defeat. Jannik Sinner, the world number two, provided a textbook example of resilience on Monday at the Qatar Open. In his first competitive appearance since his Australian Open title defense ended in a semi-final loss to Novak Djokovic, the Italian wunderkind looked imperious, brushing aside the challenge of Tomas Machac in straight sets.

The scoreline, 6-1, 6-4, tells a story of dominance, but the performance told a story of intent. Sinner arrived in Doha with questions hanging over his fitness and his mindset. He answered them with a forehand that sizzled through the desert air and a serve that was virtually untouchable. Losing just six points on his serve across the entire match, Sinner turned the court into his personal fortress.

A Clinical Dismantling

Facing the 31st-ranked Czech, Sinner wasted no time. He raced through the first set in under 30 minutes, his movement fluid and his striking clean. It was the kind of tennis that makes opponents feel claustrophobic; everywhere Machac looked, Sinner was there, ready to punish the slightest error.

The second set offered a sterner test as Machac found his rhythm, but Sinner’s quality in the clutch moments proved the difference. A decisive break in the fifth game gave him the advantage he needed. Although he required five match points to finally close out the contest, the result was never truly in doubt. "Physically I feel good," the 24-year-old said post-match, a simple sentence that will send shivers down the spines of his rivals.

The Road to Redemption

For Sinner, Doha is more than just another ATP 250 event; it is the first step on the road to redemption. The loss to Djokovic in Melbourne was a bitter pill, denying him a second consecutive Grand Slam down under. But in tennis, the calendar waits for no one. With Carlos Alcaraz also in the Doha draw as the top seed, the tournament is shaping up to be a collision course between the sport’s two brightest young stars.

Sinner’s next opponent is Alexei Popyrin, but his eyes are undoubtedly fixed on the bigger prize. He is refining his game, tweaking the variables, and hardening his mental resolve. The windy conditions in Doha tested his adaptability—"You have to adapt to every situation," he noted—and he passed with the poise of a veteran.

• Tournament: Qatar ExxonMobil Open
• Round: Round of 32
• Score: 6-1, 6-4 vs Tomas Machac
• Next Opponent: Alexei Popyrin

A Global spectacle

The Qatar Open continues to attract the cream of the crop, cementing its status as a key fixture in the early-season swing. For fans watching from Nairobi to New York, Sinner’s return adds a layer of intrigue to the tour. Can he maintain this level? Can he challenge Alcaraz on the hard courts of the Middle East?

One thing is certain: Jannik Sinner is not sulking. He is working. And on the evidence of Monday night, he is back in business.