ROME (AFP) - Greece's Stefanos Tsitsipas exited the Italian Open on Wednesday (Sept 16) with a second round defeat to home hope 19-year-old Jannik Sinner.

Third seed Tsitsipas, the recipient of a first round bye, crashed 6-1, 6-7 (9/11), 6-2 to 81st-ranked Sinner at Foro Italico.

The Greek world number six had fought back from 6-1, 5-2 down, reeling off four games in a row to serve for the second set and saving two match points in the tie-break.

But Next Gen Finals champion Sinner controlled the third set to win through in 2hrs 13 min.

"I played against him last year here in Rome," said Sinner who lost in straight sets that time.

"In the beginning, I was feeling great and I knew it was his first match on clay. He is obviously a very experienced player."

Sinner will next play either Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov, the 15th seed, or Japan's Yoshihito Nishioka for a place in the quarter-finals.