MADRID, May 4 — Italian teenager Jannik Sinner booked his place in the second round of the Madrid Open today when his opponent Guido Pella withdrew with a leg injury in the second set while trailing 6-2 4-4.

Sinner, number 18 in the world, barely gave Pella time to breathe in the first set, with an early break of service taking him to 3-0.

Another break saw the 19-year-old take the set.

Pella responded in fiery fashion opening up a 4-1 lead in the second before feeling discomfort in his right leg which, after receiving medical attention on court, ultimately led to his retirement.

Sinner, a finalist in the Miami Masters, will face Alexei Popyrin in the second round after the Australian beat Belgian Jan-Lennard Struff 6-3 7-6 (7/4).

Sixth seed Andrey Rublev, meanwhile, had to work hard before becoming the first man through to the third round, battling for two hours 20 minutes with American Tommy Paul before coming through 6-7 (5/7), 6-3, 6-4. — AFP