Top-seeded Jannik Sinner coasts into Cincinnati semifinals
Sinner got off to a dominant start to his quarterfinal matchup, winning the first set in 27 minutes and losing just two points across his three first-set service games. Auger-Aliassime broke Sinner to start the second set and opened a 2-0 lead, but the Italian roared back, winning each of the next six games to close out the match.
"I had a small drop in the second set when he broke me. It could have been a small change but I am happy I broke him back quite early," Sinner said. "He is a very difficult opponent because he serves well, he moves well, physically in incredible shape and hits the forehand very well. But we prepared in the best way, also tactically and I felt like today I was playing some great tennis."
It was Sinner's 11th straight victory and his first-ever win over Auger-Aliassime in the first match between the two since 2022.
After winning the 2024 Cincinnati Open, Sinner is through his first four matches in this year's event without dropping a set.
Sinner's semifinal opponent will be French qualifier Terence Atmane, who upset No. 7 seed Holger Rune of Denmark 6-2, 6-3.
Atmane, a 23-year-old who is ranked 136th in the world, is through to his first career Masters 1000 semifinal. He is the first qualifier to reach the Cincinnati semifinals in 10 years. The Frenchman had won just one of four tour-level matches this year before arriving in Cincinnati.
"I don't think any words can describe how I feel right now," said Atmane, who has no apparel sponsors and no agent. "It's pretty insane to be honest. I cannot believe it. Being here in the semi-finals of a Masters 1000, breaking into the Top 100 and even more with the win tonight -- it's also a lot of money for me, so it's going to be very helpful for my career. It means a lot to me. I'm very emotional about it."
Earlier Thursday, American Ben Shelton continued his strong run with a 6-4, 6-4 win over No. 22 seed Jiri Lehecka of the Czech Republic to advance to the quarterfinals.
It was a clutch performance for fifth-seeded Shelton, who was locked into 4-4 deadlocks in each of the two sets vs. Lehecka before breaking him each time and then serving to clinch the set.
Shelton will face No. 3 seed Alexander Zverev of Germany in a quarterfinal matchup between two players who have each not yet dropped a set in the event.
--Field Level Media/Reuters
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