Like his main rivals, Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic, world no. 1 Jannik Sinner is through to the US Open semi-final. The Italian faced his compatriot Lorenzo Musetti in the quarter-final and provided a 6-1, 6-4, 6-2 victory.
The defending champion sealed the deal in two hours at Arthur Ashe Stadium, outplaying his compatriot in every department and notching his 26th consecutive hard-court Major victory.
Musetti played in his first hard-court Major semi-final but stood no chance against such a strong rival despite a solid resistance in set number two.
Jannik fired ten aces and dominated with his first serve, barely losing a point. He played flawless tennis at the net and defended all seven break points to mount the pressure on the other side.
Musetti struggled behind the second serve and got broken five times from six chances offered to his compatriot. World no. 1 landed 28 winners and 17 unforced errors and left his rival on a 12-22 ratio.
The favorite was off to a flying start, conquering the opener in 27 minutes! He served well and clinched a break in the second game after the rival's forehand error. Sinner held at 15 for 3-0 and made another push on the return in the next one.
He drew Lorenzo's mistake and delivered another break for a 4-0 lead. A service winner sent the older Italian 5-0 in front, and he closed the first part of the duel with another powerful serve at 5-1.
Jannik saved a break point in the fourth game of the second set with an unreturned serve and landed an ace for 2-2. Musetti erased a break point in the next one with a service winner, remaining on the positive side.
They served well in the next three games and reached 4-4. Lorenzo netted a forehand in the ninth game and faced a break point. He hit a costly double fault, losing serve and sending world no. 1 in front.
Sinner served for the set at 5-4 and wrapped up the set with a service winner, moving two sets to love in front after an hour and 14 minutes. Lorenzo sprayed a backhand error in the first game of the third set and suffered a break.
He made a push on the return in the next one and created four break chances. Jannik saved them and closed the game with a forehand winner to cement the advantage.
Musetti stepped in on the return in the sixth game and generated two break points. World no. 1 saved them and drew the rival's mistake to bring the game home and open a 4-2 gap.
Sinner cracked a forehand down the line winner in game seven for a break chance and forced another error from the other side to secure a break and move 5-2 in front.
Jannik served for the win in game eight and held at love, sealing the deal in style and remainingon the title course.
