Top-seeded Jannik Sinner has reached the first U.S. Open final of his career after delivering a 7-5, 7-6 (3), 6-2 victory over 25th-seeded Jack Draper in their semifinal match on Friday in New York.
Sinner had a 43-29 edge in winners while sweeping the Brit on a hot and humid afternoon. Draper vomited multiple times during the match.
Sinner, from Italy, had his left wrist examined late in the second set but looked sharp in the third while finishing off the match.
“Me and Jack know each other very well. We are friends off the court,” Sinner said on-court at Arthur Ashe Stadium. “It was a very physical match as we see and I just tried to stay there mentally. He is so tough to beat and it is a very special occasion. I am happy to be in the final here.”
Sinner is looking to become the first Italian man to win the U.S. Open. He will face an American in Sunday’s final as No. 12 seed Taylor Fritz and No. 20 Frances Tiafoe meet in Friday night’s other semifinal.
An American hasn’t won the U.S. Open since Andy Roddick in 2003, and the pro-American crowd figures to be rooting against Sinner on Sunday.
“I am just happy to be in the final,” Sinner said. “Whoever it is, it is going to be a very tough challenge for me.
“I am looking forward to it. Finals are very special days. Every Sunday you play shows you are doing an amazing job, so I will try to keep pushing and I will see what I can do.”
Draper held 5-4 leads in both the first and second sets, but Sinner rallied both times. He won the final three games of the first set and forced a tiebreaker in the second that he won to take a commanding lead.
Draper was the first Brit to reach the U.S. Open semifinals since Andy Murray won the tournament in 2012. He was hurt by 10 double faults and 43 unforced errors on Friday. Sinner committed two and 34, respectively.
Sinner has been playing under a cloud of controversy. He twice tested positive for a banned substance in March but he wasn’t suspended because the International Tennis Integrity Agency determined he was not at fault.
–Field Level Media
