A gripping fourth-round encounter unfolded at the US Open on Monday evening, where Jannik Sinner and Tommy Paul duelled under the lights. With two hours on the clock, the second set remained a cliffhanger. Paul displayed resilience by forcing a tie-break in the second set after a narrow loss in the first, showcasing a variety of audacious shots and assured net-play. However, trailing just one point behind at 5-4 during the crucial tiebreak was Sinner, seeded 14th, a mere two points from an equalizer.
The moments of high stakes often present an opportunity for the world’s top players to differentiate themselves and on the Arthur Ashe Stadium, these instances clearly distinguished the two opponents. Missing two successive backhand second serve returns from 5-4 in the tie-break, Paul left an opening for Sinner who exploited the first set point with ruthless precision. His blazing forehand return saw him grasping a substantial two-set advantage.
In the end, Sinner triumphed during every critical juncture, delivered an exceptional performance deserving of a player ranked first in the world, and reached the quarter-finals with a 7-6 (3), 7-6 (5), 6-1 win against Paul.
Sinner spoke eloquently about his ability to perform under pressure, “I always thrive in significant moments. This is why we relentlessly train and rehearse on the practice courts to feel secure and devise a strategy to catch him off guard. The key is intelligent serving. Despite my serve letting me down in the second set tie-break, finding a workaround became essential.”
From the initial stage of the tournament, the draw has been completely open following the unexpected early departures of Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz, the second and third seeds respectively. Predominantly hailed as a favourite, Sinner once again confirmed his likelihood to clinch his second grand slam title of the year. However, the current draw is notably skewed. In the next round, the Italian contender is set to compete against Daniil Medvedev—the sole remaining grand slam and former US Open champion in this draw. On Monday, Medvedev impressively advanced with a smooth win over Nuno Borges scoring 6-1, 6-1, 6-3.
Over this year, Sinner has demonstrated a consistency in his play that rivals the likes of Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, and Andy Murray—something not frequently seen in the men’s game. As of 2024, the young Italian boasts a record of 52-5 (91%) overall and an impressive hard court record of 32-2 (94%). As reported by Opta, he holds the distinction of being the second youngest player in history to make the quarterfinals in his first 12 tournaments within the same year.
Two weeks prior to his current streak, Sinner and the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) had shared the news that he had failed two drug tests for the prohibited substance, clostebol. However, an independent arbitration panel found that he had not been at fault for the positive result. Sinner convincingly showed that the positive results could be attributed to contact with an off-the-shelf spray, containing clostebol, after his therapist used it on a hand wound and indirectly transferred traces of the substance during his daily massages. Consequently, the 23-year-old successfully had his automatic provisional ban lifted, enabling his continued participation for five subsequent months, with his positive test results not publicly disclosed.
It was Paul who started strong in the fourth-round clash, exhibiting a complete control of the court from the outset by shooting powerful forehands and pressing forward to the net. This successfully earned him a 4-1 lead in the opening set with two consecutive breaks. However, Sinner, initially seeming listless for the majority of the set, swiftly regained his momentum, positioning himself aggressively on the baseline and taking control with his superior speed and power. In the tie-breaker, Sinner overpowered Paul and narrowly secured the first set using his superior skills.
Following the initial disappointment of dropping the inaugural set, Paul regained his composure and impressively maintained his service game throughout the second. In the second set tie-break, he exhibited some of his finest tennis skills of the evening to achieve a 5-4 lead. The match’s trajectory was heavily influenced by just three service returns, as Paul fell short on two backhand returns and Sinner capitalised with a potent forehand return on set point, granting him an uncomplicated forehand.
Securing a two-set advantage, Sinner sailed effortlessly through the third set to return to the US Open quarterfinals for the third time. “The margins were razor-thin,” remarked Paul. “That gives me the impetus. We still have two American contenders in the tournament; however, it feels like there are more opportunities for everyone than ever before.”
On the other front, Iga Swiatek gradually gathers pace in the superior part of the women’s draw, making her way back to the quarter-finals with a resounding 6-4, 6-0 triumph over 16th seed Liudmila Samsonova. The victory of the leading woman in the world sets the stage for a thrilling quarter-final clash against Jessica Pegula.
Pegula persists with her seasonal revival as she triumphed over Diana Shnaider with a score of 6-4, 6-2. The sixth seed now finds herself in her seventh grand slam quarter-final yet remains on the hunt for her maiden semi-final appearance. To reach this groundbreaking milestone, she must outperform the world’s top-ranked player. – Guardian