Jannik Sinner vs Daniel Altmaier Tips, Prediction & Live Stream - Sinner to cruise in Vienna opener

Sinner has a 12-4 record in Vienna, first making the semi-finals back in 2021 before claiming the title in 2023, beating four players who were ranked in the top 15 at the time. Quite obviously Sinner has taken his game to another level over the last two years and arrives back in the Austrian city as the huge favourite for the title. Sinner is coming off a dominant victory at the Six Kings Slam, which restored some confidence after his Shanghai retirement. Meanwhile, Altmaier has a decent record against top 10 players (5-9) and he's beaten Sinner before - but this will still prove an almighty challenge for the hard-hitting German, especially on this surface.

Indeed, Sinner has not lost a match on indoor hardcourt since the 2023 ATP Finals title match and he'll be out to cut the gap on Carlos Alcaraz at the top of the rankings by adding a valuable 500 points this week. Anything other than a straightforward Sinner victory would be a surprise.

Sinner leads 2-1. Altmaier registered a brilliant five-set victory in the second round of Roland Garros 2023, but Sinner turned the tables with a routine 6-3 6-3 triumph in Shanghai a couple of weeks ago.

Sinner comes into this contest with a 43-6 record during what has been an up-and-down season.

The Italian successfully defended his Australian Open title before accepting a three-month suspension for doping offences. Sinner returned for the end of the clay swing, but was upstaged by Alcaraz in Rome and Roland Garros.

Not to be deterred, Sinner defeated his Spanish rival for a maiden Wimbledon title, but the joy was short-lived as he went down to Alcaraz in both the Cincinnati and US Open finals.

Sinner returned to the champions corner in Beijing, but was forced to retire in the brutal Shanghai conditions in the third round against Tallon Griekspoor. Returning to action for the Six Kings Slam, Sinner defeated Stefanos Tsitsipas, Novak Djokovic and Alcaraz without dropping a set on his way to the title.

Altmaier heads into this clash with a negative 18-25 record on the season, but only four spots adrift of his career-high ranking of No. 47, which was achieved in 2023.

Round of 16 runs at the French Open and Monte Carlo Masters have contributed to Altmaier hanging around the top 50, along with a quarter-final finish at the ATP 500 event in Rotterdam.

The German also recently made the third round of the US Open before going down to Alex de Minaur in four sets.

Altmaier failed to win back-to-back matches during the Asian swing and was knocked out in the opening round of Brussels last week by No. 247 Gilles Arnaud Bailly. Altmaier has only competed in Vienna once before, going down to Gael Monfils in the first round in 2023.