US Open: World best Jannik Sinner gets Daniil Medvedev quarter-final challenge
World number one Jannik Sinner showcased some of his best tennis at the US Open to defeat Tommy Paul and secure a quarter-final clash with Daniil Medvedev.
The Italian star overcame home favourite Paul with a 7-6 (7-3), 7-6 (7-5), 6-1 victory in the night session on Arthur Ashe Stadium.
Sinner, who had to overcome a spirited challenge from the 14th-seeded Paul, displayed resilience as he came back from a double break down in the first set, ultimately dominating the tie-break. The second set was equally competitive, but Sinner managed to edge it before taking full control in the third set to close out the match in two hours and 42 minutes.
The 23-year-old’s powerful baseline game, particularly his forehand, became more consistent as the match progressed, allowing him to outmuscle Paul. Despite a brief moment of concern when Sinner appeared to clutch his hip after a stumble, he finished the match strong.
Looking ahead to his quarter-final showdown with Russia’s Daniil Medvedev, the 2021 US Open champion, Sinner acknowledged the physical demands of the upcoming match. “There’s going to be a lot of rallies so hopefully I’ll be ready physically,” Sinner said. “We’ll try to do our best on court and hopefully you guys enjoy it.”
Sinner has a strong recent record against Medvedev, having won five of their last six encounters, including a remarkable comeback from two sets down to clinch the Australian Open title in January. However, Medvedev, who delivered an emphatic 6-0, 6-1, 6-3 victory over Nuno Borges earlier on Monday, triumphed in their most recent meeting, a five-set thriller in the Wimbledon quarter-final in July.
With both Sinner and Medvedev being the only Grand Slam champions left in the men’s singles draw, their quarter-final clash promises to be a tantalizing encounter. Sinner has lost just five matches this season, with only two of those defeats coming on hard courts. His most recent title came in Cincinnati in August, shortly before he was cleared of any wrongdoing after twice testing positive for a banned substance earlier in the year.
