WATCH: Dan Evans mocks Jannik Sinner's injury during China Open 1R clash

World No. 7 Jannik Sinner overcame Great Britain's Dan Evans in three sets during their first-round meeting at the 2023 China Open on Friday (September 29). The most talked-about part of the match came in the deciding set, when the Brit appeared to disrespect the Italian by mocking an injury the latter suffered.

Sinner got off to a great start during his first match in Beijing as he took the first set 6-4. He then broke early in the second set and got to 5-4, before failing to serve out the match. Evans made the most out of the 22-year-old's mental lapse to take the second set in a tiebreaker.

In the deciding set, the Italian fell while trying to return Evans' serve in the first few games and was subsequently seen clutching his thigh in pain. The Brit, for his part, didn't buy that Sinner was physically compromised. The 33-year-old then proceeded to mock his younger opponent's injury by grabbing his thigh during a changeover.

Jannik Sinner, meanwhile, surrendered the lead shortly as Evans brought the third set back on serve. The Italian broke again in the eighth game of the decider, though, before comfortably serving out a 6-4, 6-7(2), 6-3 victory. With his win, the sixth seed gained a 1-0 lead in his head-to-head with the World No. 33.

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Jannik Sinner has enjoyed a great season in 2023 despite endurance issues

Jannik Sinner poses with the 2023 Canadian Open trophy

Jannik Sinner has had a career-best season in 2023, with a 54-13 win-loss record and a maiden ATP Masters 1000 triumph in Toronto to boot. The 22-year-old also reached the final of the ATP Masters 1000 tournament in Miami, where he lost to Daniil Medvedev.

The Italian also reached the semi-final of this year's Wimbledon, before having a flawless campaign at the 2023 Canadian Open. Sinner only dropped one set in the five matches during his campaign at the 1000-level event.

Sinner has struggled with his fitness in the latter part of this season. The Italian was visibly fatigued during his Cincinnati second-round loss to Dusan Lajovic last month, and was also far from his physical best during his 2023 US Open campaign.

Sinner lost to former World No. 3 Alexander Zverev in a tumultuous five-set match in the fourth round. He then withdrew from the 2023 Davis Cup Finals citing exhaustion from a physically taxing North American summer hardcourt season.