Jannik Sinner continued his roll through the 2025 US Open by eliminating Lorenzo Musetti, 6-1, 6-4, 6-2, in a quarterfinal match inside Arthur Ashe Stadium on Wednesday night.
This all-Italian matchup was a mismatch from the get-go, as the top-seeded Sinner proved once again why he, and No. 2 seed Carlos Alcaraz, are head and shoulders above their rivals.
“From my point of view it was a great performance, very solid, especially starting very, very well in the match,’’ said Sinner, who won 91% of his first-serve points and saved all seven break points he faced.
Sinner, who has lost but one set during the fortnight, was forthright from the start and he never took his foot off the gas. He smacked pinpoint winners from around the court, served and returned like a champion, and dominated with his unmatched footwork and quickness.
Musetti, who was seeking his third career Grand Slam semifinal, was shown the door by his countryman in a matter-of-fact manner.
“Obviously we know each other very well,’’ Sinner said. “We come from the same country and there are so many Italian players in the draw, it’s nice to play here. Obviously [we play] Davis Cup together and stuff like this.
“We have to take the friendship away for the match, then obviously when we shake hands, then everything is fine.”
Sinner all but said buonanotte to his compatriot, but in reality it was a good night for only one of the Italians.
Musetti has game and plenty of weapons, which includes a lethal one-handed backhand. But he was mostly neutralized by Sinner’s penetrating groundstrokes and ability to send back nearly everything Musetti shoved his way.
Like a wrecking ball meeting a dilapidated building, Sinner demolished Musetti in the first set when acquiring two breaks and racing to a 5-0 lead before settling for a 6-1 score.
The second set was more competitive, and that was a win in itself for the overmatched Musetti, who even sniffed a break point which he didn’t convert. It wasn’t until the 10th game that Sinner broke Musetti’s serve en route to a 6-4 conquest.
The third set had a brief chance of being special. After Musetti held to open the frame, he had four break-point chances on Sinner’s serve, but came up empty. Then in the sixth game, Musetti saw two more break points but whiffed again. At that point Sinner, who had 28 winners to Musetti’s 12, sniffed the finish line and leaned into it for a 6-2 final set tally.
Sinner thanked the New Yorkers for staying until midnight, while also tipping his cap to his fans in Italy watching what for them was a morning match with an espresso.
“It’s amazing for sure,’’ Sinner said. “At home some Italians say they didn’t sleep. We are very proud to be Italian. It’s a special country where we have amazing support. Italians are basically everywhere.’’
WHAT IT MEANS: Sinner reaches his fourth Grand Slam semifinal this year and will meet No. 25 seed Felix Auger-Aliassime, a rare opponent that has an advantage in their head-to-head series. Sinner trails 1-3, with his lone triumph coming in their most recent match, a quarterfinal affair at Cincinnati. One of the Canadian’s triumphs came when an injured Sinner retired in the quarterfinals last year at Madrid.
Auger-Aliassime, who has upset three higher seeds en route to the semis, will need to be at his best to pull off the ultimate shock. Sinner expects a tough test: “Every player who is in the semifinals of a Grand Slam [is] playing amazing tennis,’’ he said.
MATCH POINT: While Sinner aims to be the first US Open men’s singles champion to defend his title since Roger Federer (2004-08), it’s not surprising he’s doing well on the Big Apple cement. Of the 20 titles Sinner has won, 17 have come on hard courts. He’s primed to turn those numbers into 21 and 18, respectively.
“It’s a very special tournament,’’ he said. “The last Grand Slam of the year, the last biggest tournament we have through the season and there is no better place to play than in the biggest stadium we have with an amazing crowd. It means a lot to me.”
