Jannik Sinner overcame a wrist problem to beat Jack Draper 7-5, 7-6 (3), 6-2 in a “very physical” semifinal and become the first Italian to reach the US Open men’s singles final.
The high-voltage clash saw both athletes face off against each other. Number one Sinner was pushed to the limit by number 25 Draper, but the former managed to win the decisive moments and was thus able to control the pace of the game.
Sinner hit 42 winners and managed to wear Draper down by attrition. The English tennis sensation lost his power in the latter stages of the match and lost the third set by a wide margin.
The world number one sprained his left wrist during the second set but was able to hold off Draper, who tried to exploit the chink in Sinner’s armour.
“Jack and I know each other very well. We’re friends off the court. It was a very physical match, as we can see, and I just tried to stay mentally fit,” Sinner told the ATP after the hard-fought win. “It’s very difficult to beat him and it’s a very special occasion. I’m happy to be in the final here.”
Sinner looks like a strong contender and the player to beat at the ongoing major tournament. He won his first career Grand Slam at the Australian Open earlier this year and has become only the fifth male athlete to record 22 or more major tournament wins in a season since the turn of the century.
“I’m happy to be in the final. Whoever it is, it will be a very tough challenge for me,” Sinner added. “I’m looking forward to it. Finals are very special days. Every Sunday you play you show that you’re doing an incredible job, so I’ll try to keep pushing myself and see what I can do.”
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