In a thrilling quarterfinal victory, the world number one overcame Andrei Rublev, only one week after the Russian defeated him in Montreal.

After dropping the opening set, it appeared as though Sinner might be doomed to lose against Rublev once more.

But the 22-year-old was able to even things up with some on-court tricks before an early break in the third saw him cross the finish line.

Sinner has had an incredible season, shattering a number of milestones thus far. Most importantly, he became the first Italian player to hold the top spot since the computerized singles rankings were introduced in 1973.

The Italian has turned his luck around and set a new record in Cincinnati, where he had previously struggled to string victories together.

When Jannik Sinner defeats Andrey Rublev in Cincinnati, he creates Italian history.

The current world champion hasn’t been kind to himself lately.

Sinner has been trying to find his form on the hard court after an injury severely ruined his summer and illness destroyed his goal of competing at the Olympics.

Sinner becomes the first Italian male to make it to the Cincinnati semi-finals by making it to the final four.

His run to the last four is a significant departure from his previous performance in the Midwest, where the Italian was defeated in the third round by Dusan Lajovic, a player who did not go past qualification this year.

The Italian player really needed a flawless run in the Midwest following Sinner’s most recent fitness update following his loss in Montreal, if only to briefly allay doubts about his ability before the US Open.

Since Sinner acknowledged a shift in his training, the Italian player has appeared to have made progress from Montreal, where he was clearly struggling with a number of issues.

In Cincinnati, is Jannik Sinner a winner?

After the German defeated Ben Shelton in a tough three-set encounter, the world number one is now scheduled to face Alexander Zverev for a position in the championship event.

Zverev and Sinner have faced each other five times, including at the US Open last year. The Germans have won four of their meetings.

Even if the Italian doesn’t appear to be at his best right now, his tenacity and perseverance have been particularly noteworthy.

Sinner may feel a little more rested going into their match than Zverev, who advanced easily to the final eight. Sinner has played one fewer match than Zverev.

Moreover, during his career, Zverev has elevated the art of tightening up at crucial times.

The two titans are the clear favorites to win Cincinnati, and a victory here would allow Zverev to climb the rankings.