Jannik Sinner beats Daniil Medvedev in seesawing US Open quarter-final

NEW YORK – Top seed Jannik Sinner broke through Daniil Medvedev’s defences to win 6-2, 1-6, 6-1, 6-4 in a see-sawing US Open quarter-final on Sept 4 at Arthur Ashe Stadium, where pundits and fans were left stunned as momentum whipped back and forth.

The world No. 1 will face the 25th-ranked Jack Draper for a place in the final after the Briton reached his first Grand Slam semi-final with a 6-3, 7-5, 6-2 win over Australia’s Alex de Minaur.

Sinner is the only top-10 man in the last four, with No. 12 Taylor Fritz due to face fellow American Frances Tiafoe, ranked 20th, in the other semi-final on Sept 6.

The Italian, who beat Medvedev in the Australian Open final in January, left the Russian disappointed at a Grand Slam again, closing out the match in New York with a forehand winner.

Medvedev, the 2021 champion, had defeated the Italian in the Wimbledon quarter-finals, but could not crack the code this time. The 28-year-old did not help his own cause with 57 unforced errors.

“It was very tough, we know each other quite well. We knew it was going to be very physical. It was strange in the first two sets, whoever got the break started to roll,” said Sinner.

An out-of-sorts Medvedev put up more than double the number of unforced errors his opponent had in the first set, with Sinner dropping only one of his first-serve points and looking ready to cruise to the semis.

The Russian came back hard in the second set, however, going up a break with a backhand winner down the line in the second game and winning a 24-shot rally to convert another chance in the fourth.

The momentum whipped back to Sinner in the next set as the 23-year-old won the first five games straight, leaving TV commentators at a loss for words.

A close fourth set turned in the world No. 1’s favour when Medvedev handed him a break with an unforced forehand error in the seventh game.

The world No. 5 saved one match point to hold serve in the ninth game and exhorted the crowd for support as he walked back to his bench at the changeover. However, Sinner did not have to wait long for his victory, wrapping up the match in the next game.

“I don’t know why exactly, but not the best match from my side. I actually think not the best from his also, a little bit missing here and there,” said Medvedev.

The Italian’s win means there will be a new US Open champion on the men’s side, as Medvedev was the only former winner to reach the quarter-finals in a tournament full of early exits by top contenders.

Meanwhile, Draper said he knew “my time will come” after ousting the 10th-ranked de Minaur to become the first British man to make the last four since Andy Murray won the title 12 years ago.

The left-hander, 22, pulled off the victory over the 25-year-old Australian, despite taking a medical timeout early in the second set to have his right thigh bandaged.

“It’s amazing. My first time on Arthur Ashe Stadium, it means the world to me,” said Draper, who had lost thrice in three meetings with de Minaur before this victory.

“I played a solid match and I feel the best, fitness-wise, that I have felt in a long time.

“Last year was a real turning point for me, when I had my injury setbacks and taking a lot of time off over the summer because of my shoulder injury.

“I had to watch all these young, amazing players winning amazing tournaments.

“But I knew that my time would come... I’m very proud of myself.” REUTERS, AFP