Rotterdam Open: Sinner vs Bonzi Tennis Prediction & Pick

TennisSection previews the 2023 Rotterdam Open as Jannik Sinner takes on Benjamin Bonzi in the first round on Wednesday, February 15, 2023.

After his success in Montpellier, can Jannik Sinner go back-to-back at the Rotterdam Open? France’s Benjamin Bonzi is not a cakewalk opener for the hard-hitting Italian. So who will prevail?

Jannik Sinner collected the eighth career title on the ATP tour. Sinner only had to win three matches during the week in Montpellier. He benefitted from a bye in the first round, and then his second-round opponent withdrew on short notice. And he did not slacken. He scored wins over Lorenzo Sonego and Arthur Fils, before taking down big-serving Maxime Cressy in the final. It was Sinner’s first tournament since his Australian Open loss to Tsitsipas, and should he beat Benjamin Bonzi, he could face the Greek in the second round at the Rotterdam Open.

Benjamin Bonzi, meanwhile, enters the Rotterdam Open on a three-match losing streak. Bonzi had a great start to the year in Pune where he reached his first ATP final and lost narrowly to Tallon Griekspoor. At the Australian Open, he reached the third round, scoring a stunning upset by eliminating Carreno Busta en route. But since that De Minaur defeat in Melbourne, things have gone awry for the world No. 48 who also suffered an embarrassing loss in the Davis Cup to Zsombor Piros.

Jannik Sinner leads Benjamin Bonzi 2-0 in their head-to-head. Their last meeting came at the Indian Wells Masters last season where Sinner won in three sets. Sinner was apparently ill in that match and would pull out from the tournament before his next match. We didn’t quite get to see the young Italian at full throttle in 2022. But he is healthy again and is playing sublime tennis again. I expect him to continue his recent dominance and book a meeting potentially against Stefanos Tsitsipas in the second round of the Rotterdam Open.