WHAT HAPPENED: Upsets to former men’s champions have shocked the grounds of the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on the last two nights at the 2024 US Open. After Italy’s Jannik Sinner stormed out to a 5-0 lead in 19 blink-and-you-missed-it minutes in Arthur Ashe Stadium on Saturday, it was clear that the top-seeded Italian didn’t get the memo.
The 23-year-old looked at ease from start to finish on a sunny but cool Saturday afternoon in Queens, and he breezed by 87th-ranked Christopher O'Connell, 6-1, 6-4, 6-2, to reach the fourth round.
“Today was a great match,” Sinner said. “I knew I had to play really solid throughout the whole match. I felt like today the serve was working really well and I’m happy about my performance.”
With the aftershock of losses by Alcaraz and Djokovic in successive nights still being felt around the grounds, Sinner put forth a defiant effort to earn his tour-leading 31st hard court win of the season.
The 23-year-old was proactive from the start, on the front foot and controlling the run of play against the veteran Aussie. He dropped just four points on serve in the opening set, won seven of ten points at net and cracked 13 minutes to claim the 6-1 stanza in 29 minutes.
30-year-old O’Connell was bidding to become the lowest-ranked player to defeat a world No. 1-ranked player since Nick Kyrgios defeated then-No. 1 Rafael Nadal at Wimbledon in 2024, but he was simply outmatched by Sinner’s firepower off the ground.
With six-time US Open champion Serena Williams among the spectators watching on, Sinner made his move quickly in the second set, taking a 2-1 lead, before methodically strutting out to a two sets to love lead.
The break came early again in the third set, as Sinner needed just five points to earn a break for a 1-0 lead in the third. For good measure he cracked a forehand return winner to claim a double-break 5-2 lead a few games later.
Sinner wrapped up his 51st victory of the season in one hour and 53 minutes, cracking his 18th forehand winner to set up match point, which was converted with a volley winner on the next point.
The world No. 1 finished the afternoon with 46 winners, and never faced a break point. Job well done, to say the least.
WHAT IT MEANS: Sinner puts his stamp on a chaotic first week on the men’s side at Flushing Meadows, and puts any lingering worries about his form in the rearview. He’s now the player to beat in the men’s draw, and he played like it on Saturday.
Since dropping his first set of the tournament to Mackenzie McDonald in the first round, Sinner has dropped just 18 games in his last nine sets. Step away from the platform, the Sinner train has left the station.
“As we see, everything can happen in this sport,” he said, when asked to talk about the losses of Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic. “I try to stay on my side of the net, trying to take it day by day. Each opponent is a very tough challenge.
“There have been a couple of upsets, so let’s see what’s coming. I’m happy to be still here, and hopefully I can play as many matches as possible.”
MATCH POINT: Sinner stretched his personal winning streak to eight matches with his win, and the Italian has now reached the second week at all four majors in the same season for a second time (also 2022).
