World number one Jannik Sinner advanced to the US Open semi-finals for the first time in his career after prevailing over 2021 champion Daniil Medvedev 6-2, 1-6, 6-1, 6-4 at the Arthur Ashe stadium on Thursday (September 5, 2024). Sinner is now the only man remaining in the field with a Grand Slam trophy. (Full Coverage | More Tennis News)
The 23-year-old from Italy won his first Major title at the Australian Open in January by defeating Medvedev in the final in five sets, after dropping the first two.
As depicted by the scoreline, the quarter-final match-up was quite topsy-turvy as Sinner and Medvedev took turns dominating a set at a time. First, it was Sinner who was superior. Then that role was played by Medvedev. Then Sinner regained the upper hand in the third. In the fourth, from 3-all, Sinner surged, saving a couple of break points, then breaking Medvedev to lead 5-3.
Sinner, who took over as the title favorite after first-week exits by Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz, will take on 25th seed Jack Draper of Britain on Friday for a place in the final. The top seed was cleared in a doping case less than a week before the US Open started, after testing positive twice for trace amounts of an anabolic steroid in March.
"We know each other very well, we are good friends off the court," Sinner said of Draper. "It's going to be very tough - I'm just happy to be in the semis."
That day's other semifinal will be world number 12 Taylor Fritz against No. 20 Frances Tiafoe in the first all-American men's matchup at this stage at a Major in 19 whole years.
The 22-year-old Draper entered his first Grand Slam semi-final — and became the first British man to get that far at Flushing Meadows since Andy Murray won the 2012 trophy — by comprehensively beating No. 10 Alex de Minaur 6-3, 7-5, 6-2.
Draper has won all 15 sets he's played so far at Flushing Meadows this year, but might not have as easy a ride 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 would 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 very proud of myself.”
