Tennis: Sinner Beats Cressy in Open Sud Final

Tennis - Australian Open - Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia - January 22, 2022 Italy's Jannik Sinner celebrates winning his third round match against Japan's Taro Daniel REUTERS/Loren Elliott
Tennis - Australian Open - Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia - January 22, 2022 Italy's Jannik Sinner celebrates winning his third round match against Japan's Taro Daniel REUTERS/Loren Elliott
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Tennis: Sinner Beats Cressy in Open Sud Final

Tennis - Australian Open - Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia - January 22, 2022 Italy's Jannik Sinner celebrates winning his third round match against Japan's Taro Daniel REUTERS/Loren Elliott
Tennis - Australian Open - Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia - January 22, 2022 Italy's Jannik Sinner celebrates winning his third round match against Japan's Taro Daniel REUTERS/Loren Elliott

Jannik Sinner of Italy won his seventh singles title and first of the season by beating American Maxime Cressy 7-6 (3), 6-3 in the Open Sud de France final on Sunday.

The second-seeded Italian did not lose a set on his way to winning the tournament.

Sinner saved three break points in the fourth game before racing to a 4-0 lead in the tie-breaker. He took the first set when Cressy netted a backhand.

No. 51-ranked Cressy was bothered by an injury to a finger on his right hand and needed treatment at 3-2 in both sets.

Sinner won the last three games as Cressy dropped serve at 4-3 by sending a forehand volley wide before netting another volley on match point.

Cressy had won their only previous meeting, a Challenger Tour match in Lexington in 2019.



With Ligue 1 Almost Conquered, Enrique Wants His Side to Stay Sharp for Bigger Goals

29 January 2025, Stuttgart: Paris Saint-Germain coach Luis Enrique sits in the stadium ahead of the UEFA Champions League soccer match between VfB Stuttgart and Paris Saint-Germain at the MHPArena. (dpa)
29 January 2025, Stuttgart: Paris Saint-Germain coach Luis Enrique sits in the stadium ahead of the UEFA Champions League soccer match between VfB Stuttgart and Paris Saint-Germain at the MHPArena. (dpa)
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With Ligue 1 Almost Conquered, Enrique Wants His Side to Stay Sharp for Bigger Goals

29 January 2025, Stuttgart: Paris Saint-Germain coach Luis Enrique sits in the stadium ahead of the UEFA Champions League soccer match between VfB Stuttgart and Paris Saint-Germain at the MHPArena. (dpa)
29 January 2025, Stuttgart: Paris Saint-Germain coach Luis Enrique sits in the stadium ahead of the UEFA Champions League soccer match between VfB Stuttgart and Paris Saint-Germain at the MHPArena. (dpa)

Paris St Germain have a chance of winning Ligue 1 with seven games to spare if they win at Saint-Etienne and other results go their way this weekend, but coach Luis Enrique is keen to keep momentum going to help clinch more silverware.

Unbeaten PSG have a 19-point lead over second-placed Olympique de Marseille with eight matches to go as they stand on the verge of their fourth straight Ligue 1 title.

If PSG win, Marseille lose, and the next two teams in the standings, AS Monaco and Nice, drop points, that will ensure PSG's 11th league title since 2012-13, and the second straight crown under Luis Enrique.

"We're never champions until it's mathematically a foregone conclusion. But we're the best team in Ligue 1. We're going to use this moment so that these eight games can be used for more global objectives," Luis Enrique told reporters on Friday.

The Spaniard, who previously led Barcelona to a treble of LaLiga, Champions League and Spanish Cup titles in 2015, has an opportunity to repeat the feat this year.

"We need to be ready for the two or three months of competition," he said.

PSG, who lost to Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League semi-finals last season, will face Aston Villa in the two-leg quarter-finals of the continental competition next month, after a French Cup semi-final against Ligue 2 side Dunkerque.

Luis Enrique said PSG were fully motivated ahead of their visit to relegation-threatened Saint-Etienne who sit 17th in the table, one point below Le Havre who have played a game more.

Saint-Etienne were closing in on their first win since January when they were 2-0 up at bottom side Montpellier on March 16, but the match was abandoned after home fans threw flares onto the pitch and part of a stand caught fire.

"We're playing away against a historic French club. There's a very powerful atmosphere in the stadium. We love these atmospheres of football and passionate people. It's very motivating for us. I hope there won't be any problems," Luis Enrique said.