The evening match, delayed by an hour due to a fire that caused an electrical short circuit, stretched to nearly two hours as Sinner recorded his 23rd straight victory on hard courts.

The Italian has yet to lose in 2025 and boasts an extraordinary 64-3 record on the surface since the start of 2024, which is an all-time best winning percentage behind only Roger Federer’s 2005-2006 dominance.

Diallo, ranked 35th in the world, came out swinging and capitalised on three early double faults from Sinner to grab an immediate break, but the Canadian’s lead was short-lived.

Sinner responded with six straight games, using his superior returning to smother Diallo’s service games. In the first set, the Canadian managed to win just one of 18 points on his second serve, a telling statistic that underscored the gap between the two players.

The match was punctuated by unusual stoppages: a five-minute pause for malfunctioning video monitors, followed later by a blaring alarm from the main grandstand. Both players took the interruptions in stride, even managing a few smiles before resuming play.

Diallo raised his level in the second set, landing 80 per cent of first serves and hitting more aggressively to deny Sinner any break opportunities. The Canadian twice led in the tiebreak and even served for the set at 6-5, but a costly double fault and a missed volley opened the door for Sinner. The world No. 1 seized his chance, closing the match with a decisive forehand.

While not at his clinical best, the win once again showcased the Italian’s ability to find solutions under pressure and maintain his grip on the hard-court game.

In the round of 16, Sinner will face either France’s Adrian Mannarino or American Tommy Paul as he continues his quest for another ATP Masters 1000 title.