Wednesday's US Open quarter-final showdown pits Jannik Sinner against 2021 champion Daniil Medvedev for a coveted spot in the tournament's last four.
The World No. 1 defeated home favourite Tommy Paul in straight sets, setting up a 13th ATP Tour match-up with his Russian opponent, who cruised past Nuno Borges in three sets on Monday.
Match preview
© Imago
Sinner's night appeared to be going awry when he found himself 4-1 down in the opening set to Paul, but the No. 1 seed fought back from a double-break to win a first-set tie-break.
His American opponent, pushed by a boisterous crowd inside Arthur Ashe Stadium, threw everything at the top Italian player, who showcased his defensive tenacity to force Paul into playing an extra shot and was decisive with his ball-striking and execution to hit winners or force errors from the home hope.
Claiming a tight second-set tie-break knocked the stuffing out of the No. 14 seed, who was powerless to resist as Sinner did not lose momentum and sealed a 7-6(3), 7-6(5), 6-1 victory on Monday night.
The upshot of clinching a third consecutive straight-set triumph at the US Open not only saw the top seed become the eighth man since the turn of the millennium to have made the quarter-final of every Grand Slam in a calendar year — joining Andre Agassi, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray, David Ferrer and Stan Wawrinka — but set up a rematch of this year's Australian Open final and Wimbledon quarter-final with Medvedev.
Although Sinner roared back from two sets down to beat the Russian in the former before inflicting a chastening beatdown on the 28-year-old in Miami, Medvedev got his revenge in their last match-up at Wimbledon in another Grand Slam five-setter, adding intrigue to Wednesday's battle.
© Imago
The 2021 US Open champion has been in outstanding form so far in New York, keen to clinch another title at Flushing Meadows to add to his success from three years back.
Despite the threat posed by Borges, a clinical Medvedev took advantage of his opponent's seeming nerves and disappointing execution to notch a 6-0, 6-1, 6-3 fourth-round triumph in a fourth-round victory that lasted under two hours.
Last year's runner-up is the only former champion left in the men's singles draw following exits to Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz, and he seeks to make a fifth US Open semi-final at Sinner's expense.
Despite the Italian's rise to No. 1, he has never advanced beyond the last eight at Flushing Meadows; Medvedev, however, hopes his previous experience in the latter stages of Grand Slams will give him an advantage in his quest for another semi-final appearance.
With one of the most unpredictable draws in recent years, the 28-year-old hopes to overcome what many consider his toughest challenge on the path to eventual victory in Queens.
Tournament so far
Jannik Sinner:
First round: vs. Mackenzie McDonald 2-6 6-2 6-1 6-2
Second round: vs. Alex Michelsen 6-4 6-0 6-2
Third round: vs. Christopher O'Connell 6-1 6-4 6-2
Round of 16: vs. Tommy Paul 7-6[3] 7-6[5] 6-1
Daniil Medvedev:
First round: vs. Dusan Lajovic 6-3 3-6 6-3 6-1
Second round: vs. Fabian Marozsan 6-3 6-2 7-6[5]
Third round: vs. Flavio Cobolli 6-3 6-4 6-3
Round of 16: vs. Nuno Borges 6-0 6-1 6-3
Head To Head
Marseille (2020) - Round of 16: Medvedev 1-6 6-1 6-2
Marseille (2021) - Quarter-final: Medvedev 6-2 6-4
ATP Finals (2021) - Round Robin: Medvedev 6-0 6-7(5) 7-6(8)
Vienna (2022) - Quarter-final: Medvedev 6-4 6-2
Rotterdam (2023) - Final: Medvedev 5-7 6-2 6-2
Miami Masters (2023) - Final: Medvedev 7-5 6-3
Beijing (2023) - Final: Sinner 7-6(2) 7-6(2)
Vienna (2023) - Final: Sinner 7-6(7) 4-6 6-3
ATP Finals (2023) - Semi-final: Sinner 6-3 6-7(4) 6-1
Australian Open (2024) - Final: Sinner 3-6 3-6 6-4 6-4 6-3
Miami Masters (2024) - Semi-final: Sinner 6-1 6-2
Wimbledon (2024) - Quarter-final: Medvedev 6-7(7) 6-4 7-6(4) 2-6 6-3
Although Medvedev leads the head-to-head 7-5, the statistic does not fully capture the Italian's remarkable recovery.
After losing his first six meetings against his Russian opponent on Tour, Sinner notched five consecutive victories before the 2021 US Open champion snapped that streak at Wimbledon.
Medvedev's 2024 defeats to Sinner have been harrowing: the No. 5 seed lost the Australian Open final despite holding a two-set lead; additionally, their Miami Masters 1000 match-up was dominated by the Italian after the Russian's unconventional attacking tactics backfired.
Having snapped that losing streak by defeating an ailing Sinner in their first-ever meeting on grass, the 28-year-old now aims to secure an eighth victory over the No. 1 seed in New York.
We say: Sinner to win in five sets
Expect a mouthwatering showdown between these two in a rematch of this year's Australian Open final, with Sinner's outstanding ball-striking from even the most impossible positions on court taking on Medvedev's adept defensive tenacity.
We are backing the Italian top seed to return to winning ways against the motivated 2021 champion to secure a spot in his first US Open semi-final against Jack Draper or Alex de Minaur.
