Novak Djokovic swept past promising Italian teenager Jannik Sinner 6-4, 6-2 in Monte Carlo on Wednesday on the Serbian world number one’s first appearance since claiming the Australian Open in February.
And the man he is seeded to meet in the final, Rafael Nadal, encountered even less resistance in brushing aside Federico Delbonis 6-1, 6-2 on his delayed return after injury since losing in the quarter-finals in Melbourne.
Sinner, 19, shot to prominence by making it into this month’s Miami Open final.
The world number 22 had seen off Spain’s Albert Ramos-Vinolas in straight sets 6-3, 6-4 at this Masters 1000 event to book his first ever date with Djokovic.