Jannik Sinner has advanced to the semifinals of the US Open after defeating Daniil Medvedev in a four-set match, with scores of 6-2, 1-6, 6-1, 6-4. This win marks Sinner’s first time reaching the semifinals at this prestigious tournament.
The 23-year-old Italian player employed an aggressive, net-rushing strategy to secure his victory over the 2021 champion Medvedev. Sinner, who faced a doping case that was cleared just days before the tournament, will compete against Britain’s Jack Draper in the semifinals. Draper previously won their only encounter, which took place at the 2021 Queen’s Club.
Following the early exits of top players Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz, Sinner is now the favorite for the title and the only remaining competitor with a Grand Slam title, having claimed the Australian Open earlier this year by defeating Medvedev.
The match featured fluctuating momentum as both players took turns dominating the sets. After Sinner initially took control, Medvedev responded with a strong performance in the second set. However, Sinner regained his dominance in the third set and surged ahead in the fourth, clinching the match after saving break points.
Sinner highlighted the physical nature of their match and noted the peculiar flow of the first two sets, where the player who broke first often maintained an advantage. He was exceptionally effective at the net, winning 28 out of 33 points during his approaches.
In contrast, Medvedev struggled with inconsistency, recording nearly the same number of winners as Sinner but making significantly more unforced errors. He acknowledged that he may have taken too many risks during the match.
With this victory, Sinner becomes only the third Italian man to reach the US Open semifinals since the Open era began in 1968. Medvedev’s defeat means that there are no former US Open champions remaining in the tournament this year.
The other semifinal will feature American players Taylor Fritz and Frances Tiafoe, marking the first all-American men’s matchup at this stage of a major tournament in nearly two decades.