Jannik Sinner cheered on by orange-clad fans during Italian Open victory

Jannik Sinner returns the ball to Thanasi Kokkinakis during their match at the Italian Open tennis tournament, in Rome, on May 12, 2023. (Andrew Medichini / AP)

ROME -

Attempting to become the first local man to win the Italian Open in nearly a half-century, Jannik Sinner was nearly unbeatable on his serve in a 6-1, 6-4 win over Thanasi Kokkinakis in his opening match Friday.

Sinner won all 16 of his service points in the first set and 36 of 39 overall behind strong home support.

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A group of five orange-clad fans in the upper deck on Campo Centrale were dressed as carrots, a tribute both to Sinner's red -- or nearly orange-coloured -- hair and to how he used to eat the vegetable on changeovers at the start of his career.

Sinner closed it out in style with a serve out wide and a swinging forehand volley winner into the open court on his second match point.

"I'm happy about my level today. It was not easy, it was a little bit breezy," Sinner said. "I felt the ball very well."

The last Italian to raise the trophy at the Foro Italico was Adriano Panatta in 1976. Raffaella Reggi won the 1985 women's tournament in Taranto in 1985.

Ranked a career-high No. 8 this week, Sinner's third-round opponent will be either Russian qualifier Alexander Shevchenko or 40th-ranked Sebastian Baez.

Sinner is in the same half of the draw as six-time Rome champion Novak Djokovic, who was facing 61st-ranked Tomas Martin Etcheverry in the night session.

Sinner skipped the Madrid Open so he could better prepare for this tournament, and he arrived in Rome early.

"It's just a very special tournament for me," he said. "I feel ready to compete."

Also on the red clay courts, Francisco Cerundolo eliminated Wu Yibing 4-6, 6-2, 6-3 and Cameron Norrie defeated Alexandre Muller 6-2, 6-3.

In women's action, ninth-seeded Maria Sakkari beat Barbora Strycova 6-1, 6-3.