US Open: No. 1 Jannik Sinner beats Daniil Medvedev to reach the semifinals
Jannik Sinner, of Italy, pumps his fist after winning a point against Daniil Medvedev, of Russia, during the quarterfinals of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
Daniil Medvedev, of Russia, reacts after losing a point to Jannik Sinner, of Italy, during the quarterfinals of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Eduardo Munoz Alvarez) Top-ranked Jannik Sinner reached the U.S. Open semifinals for the first time by going past 2021 winner Daniil Medvedev 6-2, 1-6, 6-1, 6-4 on Wednesday night.
Sinner, who took over as the title favorite after Week 1 exits by Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz, is the only guy still in the lineup with a Grand Slam trophy. He won his first at the Australian Open in January by beating Medvedev in the final in five sets after dropping the first two.
As represented by the accurate-as-can-be score, this matchup was particularly topsy-turvy as they took turns dominating a set at a time. First, it was Sinner who was superior. Then that role was played Medvedev. Then Sinner reclaimed the upper hand in the third. In the fourth, at 3-all, Sinner surged, surviving a pair of break points, then breaking Medvedev to lead 5-3.
Sinner — a 23-year-old from Italy who was cleared in a doping case less than a week before the U.S. Open started after testing positive twice for trace levels of an anabolic steroid in March — will go up against No. 25 Jack Draper of Britain on Friday for a seat in the final match.
That day’s other semifinal will be No. 12 Taylor Fritz vs. No. 20 Frances Tiafoe in the first all-American men’s battle at this stage in a major in 19 years.
The 22-year-old Draper made his first Grand Slam semifinal — and became the first British man to get that far at Flushing Meadows since Andy Murray won the 2012 trophy — by beating No. 10 Alex de Minaur 6-3, 7-5, 6-2.
Draper has won all 15 sets he’s played so far, but things figure to get tougher against Sinner.
“This is not kind of like an overnight thing for me. I’ve believed for a long time that I’ve been putting in the work and doing the right things, and I knew that my time will come,” said Draper, whose upper right leg was taped by a trainer after he felt something at the end of the first set. “I didn’t know when it would be, but hopefully from here, I can do a lot of amazing things. I’m quite pleased of myself.”