Top seed Jannik Sinner survived a hard-fought battle against American Tommy Paul to secure a spot in the US Open 2024 quarterfinals, winning 7-6(3), 7-6(5), 6-1 on Monday. The match, played in front of a boisterous crowd at Arthur Ashe Stadium, showcased Sinner’s resilience and precision play. He became the only player to reach the last eight at all four Grand Slams this year, firing down 10 aces in the process.
Sinner’s next opponent will be 2021 US Open champion Daniil Medvedev in a rematch of their Australian Open final earlier this year, which Sinner won in a thrilling five-set match. “Tough match. It’s going to be a lot of rallies so hopefully I’ll be ready physically,” Sinner said, acknowledging the challenging encounter ahead.
Paul, spurred on by the home crowd, played some of his best tennis, defending 10 of 14 break points. However, Sinner’s accuracy and consistency proved to be the deciding factor, ultimately thwarting Paul’s hopes of ending a 21-year American drought in men’s Grand Slam singles titles.
The first set saw Paul surge ahead, winning 11 consecutive points to establish a 4-1 lead. However, Sinner quickly retaliated, breaking serve in the sixth and eighth games to level the set. A tense tiebreak followed, with Sinner eventually forcing a backhand error from Paul to clinch the set.
The second set saw a similar pattern unfold, with both players trading blows. Sinner had a chance to close out the set but missed a break point opportunity. The tiebreak was a tense affair, with the umpire repeatedly having to calm the excited crowd. Sinner, maintaining his composure, eventually emerged victorious, securing the set and taking a commanding lead in the match.
Paul showed his tenacity in the third set, surviving a grueling 21-shot rally to save a break point early on. But a double fault handed Sinner another chance, which he quickly capitalized on with a powerful forehand winner. Ultimately, Sinner sealed the match with a forehand winner, leaving Paul’s hopes dashed.
“I served very well in the beginning of the match and yes there are some ups and downs obviously. Finding my rhythm at the end of the match hopefully helps for the next match,” Sinner said, reflecting on his performance.
The upcoming clash against Medvedev promises to be an intense encounter, and Sinner will need to be at his best to overcome the formidable Russian and advance to the US Open semifinals.
