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- Sep 7, 2025; Flushing, NY, USA; Jannik Sinner (ITA) holds the runners up trophy after losing to Carlos Alcaraz (ESP) (not pictured) in the final of mens singles at Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

Jannik Sinner’s Late-Game Heroics Sink Marozsan, But Was It A Little Too Close?

Originally posted on Total Apex Sports | By Fahad Hamid | Last updated Sep 29, 2025 5:23 AM ET

Let’s be real for a second. When you see a top seed like Jannik Sinner, ranked No. 2 in the world, going up against a No. 57, you expect a certain outcome. A clean, efficient, almost boringly predictable takedown. And for a hot minute, that’s exactly what we got in Beijing. Sinner came out swinging, and the first set against Fabian Marozsan was a blistering 6-1 display of dominance. It was the kind of performance that makes you lean back, grab another handful of popcorn, and think, “Yep, another day at the office for our guy.”

But then, the second set happened. And suddenly, my popcorn tasted a little stale, and my casual lean turned into an edge-of-the-seat forward hunch. What should have been a straightforward victory lap turned into a nail-biting, sweat-inducing rollercoaster that had us all questioning what we were watching. Sinner got the win, sure—a 6-1, 7-5 triumph—but he made us work for it. And maybe, just maybe, that’s exactly what he needed.

That First Set Was a Sinner Masterclass

From the get-go, Sinner looked every bit the top-tier player he is. He was a beast from the baseline, his returns were incisive, and he pressured Marozsan into mistakes, including a costly double fault that handed Sinner an early break. It was a classic Sinner performance: relentless pressure, powerful groundstrokes, and an uncanny ability to make his opponent feel like the court is shrinking.

Even with his first-serve percentage dipping a little lower than we’d like to see (hovering around 50%), it didn’t seem to matter. He was a wall, and Marozsan kept hitting balls into it. Jannik even threw in a casual run to the net, just to show he could. By the time he sealed the first set 6-1, it felt like the match was practically over. A formality. Oh, how wrong we were.

When Things Got Weird in the Second Set

The second set started normally enough. Sinner found a bit more consistency on his serve, and his forehand remained a lethal weapon. But then came the cracks. Sinner kept finding himself in 0-30 holes on his own serve. Like a Hollywood hero, he’d dramatically fight his way back, but the warning signs were there. This wasn’t the same cruise control we saw in the first set.

The real drama unfolded late in the set. Marozsan, who had been scrambling to stay alive, suddenly found another gear. He held serve for 4-4 in a marathon game, saving four break points. You could feel the momentum shift. Emboldened, the Hungarian came out and broke Sinner’s serve for the first time, putting himself in a position to serve for the set at 5-4.

I’m sorry, what? Did the world No. 57 just break Jannik Sinner to potentially force a third set? Yes. Yes, he did. It was a lapse, a moment of weakness from Sinner that sent a collective gasp through the stadium and living rooms worldwide. This wasn’t part of the script.

The Comeback Kid (Who Shouldn’t Have Needed to Come Back)

Just when it looked like we were heading for a tense decider, the “real” Sinner decided to show up again. Maybe he got angry. Maybe he remembered he’s Jannik Sinner. Whatever it was, it worked.

Facing the pressure of Marozsan serving for the set, Sinner didn’t just break back; he did it to love. It was a statement. He followed that up by holding his own serve and then breaking Marozsan again to clinch the match 7-5. He won the final three games, stringing together a flurry of points that slammed the door shut on Marozsan’s comeback dreams. It was a blazing finish, a reminder of the champion’s mentality that lurks beneath that calm exterior.

After the match, Sinner admitted, “I made a couple of mistakes at the end, I struggled to hold serve, but I’m happy with how I fought.” Happy with the fight, yes. But you have to wonder if he’s also a little annoyed it got that dicey in the first place.This win marks Sinner’s 40th of the season and sets up a semifinal clash with Alex de Minaur, a player he holds a perfect 10-0 record against. So, on paper, it looks good. But after this little scare, let’s just say we’ll be watching that one with our full attention. No more casual popcorn breaks.

This article first appeared on Total Apex Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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