Jannik Sinner swats aside Lorenzo Musetti to set up US Open semi-final with Felix Auger-Aliassime
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Italy's Jannik Sinner in action during his quarter final match against Italy's Lorenzo Musetti.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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NEW YORK – Reigning champion Jannik Sinner knew he had to put aside friendship, as he sailed into the US Open semi-finals on Sept 3 with a straight-sets win over 10th seed Lorenzo Musetti.
The top seed swept aside Musetti 6-1, 6-4, 6-2 in the first all-Italian men’s quarter-final in Grand Slam history.
“We have to take the friendship away for the match and when we shake hands everything is fine again,” said Sinner, who is 16-0 against Italian players.
“We know each other very well, we are from the same country. We have so many Italian players every time in the draw. I know here, there are many Italians, so it’s nice to play here. Obviously playing Davis Cup together and stuff like this, but we have to take the friendship away for the match.
“It was a great performance, very solid. I started the match very well.”
He advances to a semi-final against Canadian 25th seed Felix Auger-Aliassime on Sept 5.
“Every player who is in the semis of a Grand Slam can say they’re playing their best tennis,” added Sinner.
Auger-Aliassime has won two of three previous meetings but Sinner thrashed him for the loss of just two games in Cincinnati in August.
He won 6-0, 6-2 in that quarter-final tie before going on to retire hurt in his final with Carlos Alcaraz.
But the Italian believes that things have changed for Auger-Aliassime since that lopsided win.
“It’s going to be completely different because the conditions here are different. He has had some big wins, it’s a big confidence boost for him and I feel like everything can happen,” Sinner insisted.
His latest win also meant that the 24-year-old tied Nicola Pietrangeli for the most Grand Slam match wins by an Italian man with his 86th victory.
Sinner is aiming to become the first man to successfully defend the US Open crown since Roger Federer won the last of five consecutive titles in 2008.
He has won the Australian Open and Wimbledon titles this season but lost to Alcaraz in an epic five-set battle in the French Open final.
Earlier, Auger-Aliassime overcame Alex de Minaur in a four-set battle lasting over four hours to reach his second US Open semi-final.
The 25-year-old is back in the last four of a Grand Slam for the first time since the 2021 US Open after beating eighth seed de Minaur 4-6, 7-6 (9-7), 7-5, 7-6 (7-4).
“Some days you won’t feel your best but I was willing to dig really deep and do everything I can,” he said.
“It feels amazing. Four years ago, it feels like more. It was a tough couple of years but it feels even better now to be in the semi-finals.”
The Canadian had to wait to learn of his next opponent following his win, but he also said that he was ready regardless of who it is.
“The biggest challenges are yet to come, but that’s what I live for, that’s what I train for,” he said. AFP, REUTERS
