Jannik Sinner Reaches US Open Semifinals, Faces Felix Auger-Aliassime/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ World No. 1 Jannik Sinner advanced to the U.S. Open semifinals after a dominant win over fellow Italian Lorenzo Musetti. The defending champion has yet to drop a set and will face Felix Auger-Aliassime next. Sinner is aiming for a historic sweep of all four Grand Slam finals this year.
Jannik Sinner Reaches US Open Semifinals Quick Looks
- Sinner beat Lorenzo Musetti 6-1, 6-4, 6-2 in quarterfinals.
- First-ever all-Italian men’s Grand Slam quarterfinal.
- Victory puts Sinner in his fifth straight Grand Slam semifinal.
- He has won 26 straight hard-court matches in majors.
- Sinner has dropped just 38 games in five matches this tournament.
- He won 91% of first-serve points against Musetti.
- Musetti was denied his first U.S. Open semifinal appearance.
- Next up: Felix Auger-Aliassime, who beat Alex de Minaur.
- A win Friday would give Sinner finals at all four majors in 2025.
- Friendship aside, Sinner said: “During the match, no friends.”
Jannik Sinner Reaches US Open Semifinals, Faces Felix Auger-Aliassime
Deep Look
NEW YORK (AP) — Defending champion Jannik Sinner continued his dominant run at the U.S. Open, defeating fellow Italian Lorenzo Musetti in straight sets Wednesday night to return to the semifinals. The world No. 1 dispatched the 10th seed 6-1, 6-4, 6-2 in just over two hours, marking the first all-Italian men’s major quarterfinal in tennis history.
Sinner’s Historic Consistency
With the win, Sinner reached his fifth consecutive Grand Slam semifinal, a streak that underscores his remarkable consistency across surfaces. If he wins Friday’s semifinal, he will have reached the finals of all four majors in 2025, following titles at the Australian Open and his U.S. Open triumph last year.
He has also extended his hard-court winning streak at majors to 26 matches, putting him in rare company among tennis greats.
“These are very special occasions. Finding myself again in the semis of a Grand Slam, it’s a great, great achievement,” Sinner said afterward.
Match Breakdown
The match opened with a blistering pace from Sinner. The first set lasted just 27 minutes, with Musetti struggling to find rhythm against his Davis Cup teammate. Sinner raced to a 5-0 lead, winning 25 of the first 34 points.
Musetti admitted afterward that he was overwhelmed:
“I never played, honestly, someone who put me on this kind of rush in the rally. He was always leading the rally, and that was a bad feeling,” he said.
Sinner’s serve proved untouchable. He has now held 31 consecutive service games in New York and was especially dominant Wednesday, winning 42 of 46 first-serve points (91%). He also saved all seven break points he faced.
In total, Sinner has dropped just 38 games across five matches in this year’s tournament — the second-fewest by a men’s semifinalist since 2020.
Musetti’s Missed Chance
For Musetti, the loss ended his bid to reach a first U.S. Open semifinal. He had previously advanced to the semifinals of the French Open earlier this year and Wimbledon in 2024, signaling his emergence as a top contender on multiple surfaces.
Against Sinner, however, Musetti never secured a breakthrough. Despite generating more chances as the match wore on, he could not convert any of his opportunities.
Next Up: Auger-Aliassime
Sinner now prepares to face No. 25 seed Felix Auger-Aliassime, who upset No. 8 Alex de Minaur in a grueling four-set match. The Canadian’s form suggests a challenge, but Sinner will enter as the clear favorite, aiming for his third straight U.S. Open final appearance.
For the 23-year-old Italian, the stakes are historic. A win on Friday would position him to attempt a rare sweep of Grand Slam finals within a single season.
Friendship Set Aside
Though the quarterfinal marked a historic meeting between two Italians, Sinner emphasized that friendship had no place on the court.
“We have to take the friendship away for the match, and obviously when we shake hands, everything’s fine,” Sinner said.
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