Italian top seed Jannik Sinner fought through a grueling battle against a struggling Jack Draper, securing a 7-5, 7-6(3), 6-2 victory to reach the US Open 2024 final on Friday. The match at Arthur Ashe Stadium was a test of both physical and mental strength for both players, with the muggy conditions adding an extra layer of difficulty.
Sinner appeared to suffer a wrist injury when he fell over in the second set, but he bravely battled through the pain to reach his second major final of the year, following his triumph at the Australian Open. Draper, on the other hand, had a nightmarish experience, battling the extreme heat and humidity. He vomited three times in the second set, his shirt drenched in sweat, and struggled with 10 double faults, preventing him from reaching his first Grand Slam final.
“It was a very physical match as we saw. I just tried to stay there mentally,” Sinner remarked after the match, having overcome the immense pressure of being the overwhelming favorite to win his first US Open title. His path to the final was made smoother by the early exits of top contenders Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz.
The first set saw both players exchange early breaks, but the momentum shifted in Sinner’s favor when Draper committed a double fault in the 11th game, handing the Italian the crucial break. Despite facing a grueling, four-deuce opening game in the second set, Draper couldn’t capitalize on a break point opportunity in the second game.
From that point on, the match turned into a nightmare for the 25th seed. Draper, battling the extreme heat, dropped his racket and rushed to the bench to change his sweat-soaked shoes after the sixth game. He then vomited twice in the eighth game, waving off the umpire’s attempts to pause the match and have the court cleaned.
Sinner also faced his own challenges. He slipped and fell in the ninth game, clutching his left wrist in pain. A physio rushed to his aid, while another physio assisted Draper, who requested fresh shoes from his locker and battled on. Draper vomited for a third time in the 12th game before Sinner dominated the tiebreak.
Sinner secured the critical break in the final set with a stunning backhand winner down the line in the sixth game. Draper, visibly struggling, sat on his bench sipping a soda after the seventh game. Sinner ultimately closed out the match with a backhand winner on match point, sharing a brief embrace with his opponent at the net.
Sinner will now face the winner of an all-American semi-final between Taylor Fritz and Frances Tiafoe on Sunday, vying for his first US Open title.
