Top seed Jannik Sinner dismantled Daniil Medvedev’s defense to claim a 6-2, 1-6, 6-1, 6-4 victory in a dramatic U.S. Open quarterfinal on Wednesday.
Sinner, who also triumphed over Medvedev in this year’s Australian Open final, once again shattered the Russian’s Grand Slam hopes in New York, sealing the match with a blistering forehand winner at Arthur Ashe Stadium.
Medvedev, the 2021 U.S. Open champion, had bested the Italian in Wimbledon’s quarterfinals but struggled with consistency this time, hampered by 57 unforced errors that proved costly.
"It was very tough, we know each other quite well," said Sinner. "We knew it was going to be very physical."
An out-of-sorts Medvedev committed more than double the number of unforced errors his opponent had in the first set, while Sinner dropped only one of his first-serve points, looking ready to cruise to the semis.
The Russian came back hard in the second set, however, going up a break with a backhand winner down the line in the second game and winning a 24-shot rally to convert another breakpoint chance in the fourth.
The momentum swung back to Sinner in the next set as the Italian won the first five games straight, leaving TV commentators at a loss for words.
A close fourth set turned in the world No. 1's favor when Medvedev handed him a break with an unforced forehand error in the seventh game.
The Russian saved one match point to hold serve in the ninth game and exhorted the crowd for support as he walked back to his bench at the changeover.
However, Sinner did not have to wait long for his victory, wrapping up the match in the next game.
The Italian's win means there will be a new U.S. Open champion on the men's side, as Medvedev was the only former winner to reach the quarterfinals in a tournament full of surprise early exits by top contenders.
Sinner will next play Britain's Jack Draper for a place in the final.
