World No. 1 Jannik Sinner wary of Tommy Paul’s home record ahead of US Open clash

NEW YORK – Jannik Sinner is aware of Tommy Paul’s impressive record while playing in the United States, the world No. 1 said ahead of his meeting with the American in the fourth round of the US Open.

Paul, seeded 14th, won the Dallas Open earlier in 2024, while also making it to the final of the Delray Beach Open and the semi-finals of Indian Wells.

“He’s a great mover. He has improved a lot in the last period of time. It’s going to be a tough challenge,” Sinner said, after his 6-1, 6-4, 6-2 win over Australian Christopher O’Connell on Aug 31.

“He plays some great tennis, especially here in America, so it’s going be a tough match for me.

“But hopefully I’m ready to compete in the best possible way, and I’m just looking forward to it, no?

“These matches are very exciting to play and I’m happy to be part of this.”

Paul is among a group of players keen to end a 21-year American wait for a home-grown Grand Slam winner, since Andy Roddick in 2003.

The 27-year-old recovered from a first-set wobble to overcome Canadian Gabriel Diallo 6-7 (5-7), 6-3, 6-1, 7-6 (7-3) and hoped to counter Sinner’s “bang-bang tennis” when they clash.

“He’s probably the best ball striker on tour and I’m not,” Paul said.

“I don’t want to go toe to toe just banging on the baseline with him. I want to try and mix things up.”

With two of his biggest rivals at Flushing Meadows, Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic, having been eliminated last week, Sinner is the outright favourite to win his second Grand Slam title.

The Italian, 23, has established himself as one of the top male players following his win at the 2024 Australian Open. He credited his success to the great partnership of his coaches Darren Cahill and Simone Vagnozzi.

“The movement, I have improved, and the physical aspect. Also the serve, especially the second serve,” Sinner said.

“I feel very good with (Cahill), with the mix of Darren and Simone.

“They are two different coaches, completely different, but they work very well together. They have big respect to each other, and this is great to see.

“It’s also difficult to find two coaches who are different but still working very good together.

“I’m lucky to have this kind of team, and we try to push forward.”

Meanwhile, fifth seed Daniil Medvedev breezed past Italian Flavio Cobolli 6-3, 6-4, 6-3 and into the fourth round on a muggy night, as the 2021 champion stepped up his bid to capture a second Grand Slam title.

The Russian, who is the only former New York champion left in the men’s draw, will next face unseeded Portuguese Nuno Borges in the last 16.

“I said it before the match that to me, upsets don’t really matter. The conditions are a bit tricky,” Medvedev said, in reference to the shock early exits of Alcaraz and Djokovic.

“The favourites maybe have less margin against the other guys. Just have to be more cautious. If I play good tennis, I can win the whole thing.

“If I don’t play good, I can lose against anyone. I just have to play my best and try to win.”

Meanwhile, Australian 10th seed Alex de Minaur shrugged off a frustrating hip issue that has dogged him since Wimbledon to outlast Briton Dan Evans 6-3, 6-7 (4-7), 6-0, 6-0 and set up a clash against compatriot Jordan Thompson.

Evans beat Karen Khachanov in the longest US Open match of the professional era on Aug 27 at five hours and 35 minutes but finally ran out of gas.

Briton Jack Draper, who is carrying the torch for his nation following the retirement of Andy Murray, beat Alcaraz’s conqueror Botic van de Zandschulp 6-3, 6-4, 6-2.

He will next face Czech Tomas Machac. REUTERS