By Richard Pagliaro | @Tennis_Now | Saturday, August 17, 2024
World No. 1 Jannik Sinner broke serve six times rallying past Andrey Rublev 4-6, 7-5, 6-4 to battle into the Cincinnati semifinals.
Photo credit: Dylan Buell/Getty
Life at the top of the world rankings hasn’t slowed Jannik Sinner.
Today, Sinner showed his strength after being floored.
More: 2024 US Open New Policies
Rising up from a crash to the court to fire a 99 mph forehand winner, Sinner showed dynamic skill even when knocked down.
On a sweltering, gusty day, world No. 1 Sinner broke serve six times rallying past Andrey Rublev 4-6, 7-5, 6-4 to battle into the Cincinnati Open semifinals.
In a clash of the two leading hard-court winners on Tour this season, Sinner avenged a 6-3, 1-6, 6-2 loss to Rublev in last week’s Montreal quarterfinals to become the first Italian man to reach the Cincinnati Open semifinals.
This rematch featured a combined 11 service breaks, including Sinner breaking in four of Rublev’s last six service games.
Though the top seed looked lethargic early amid oppressive conditions on a lightning-quick court, Sinner’s resilience and recovery skills were crucial as he served just 48 percent and faced nine break points.
"It took a lot of mental strength today," Sinner said afterward. "Very, very tough conditions. It was very windy. First set, he started very well. I didn't play my best tennis there.
"But I felt like in the second set I had a lot of chances, especially in the games where I was returning. So I waited for my chances. At 4-all, 15-40 [in the second set], if he makes the point there, you know it could be over. But I'm happy to be in the semis."
Sinner raised his 2024 record to 46-5, including an ATP-best 26-2 mark on hard court.
The Australian Open champion denied Rublev’s bid to become the third man to defeat a world No. 1 player twice in as many weeks.
The top-seeded Sinner advanced to his ninth career Masters 1000 semifinal where he will play either third-seeded Alexander Zverev, the lone former Cincinnati champion still standing, or 12th-seeded American lefty Ben Shelton.
The sixth-ranked Rublev came out firing his forehand with menacing intention. Rublev rattled out the break at 30 for a 2-0 lead minutes into the match.
The Madrid champion won eight of his first 10 service points stretching his lead to 3-0.
The day after his 23rd birthday, Sinner began to find his range and rhythm and started stinging the Russian with his backhand down the line.
Rublev served for the set at 5-3 and earned a set point at 40-30, but framed a forehand on set point. Sinner came back and caught a break when his net-cord shot dribbled over giving him the break for 4-5.
Tonsillitis knocked Sinner out of the Paris Olympics last month. The sweat-soaked Sinner wasn’t exactly looking refreshed as Rublev ripped some deep drives to earn set point in the 10th game.
Sinner double faulted away the set as Rublev broke again for a one-set lead.
“Play with purpose,” coach Darren Cahill encouraged Sinner to start the second set.
The world No. 1 responded, breaking serve to open only to see Rublev break right back.
Though the Russian’s second serve was sometimes slower than 75 mph and sat shallow in the box, Rublev showed his resolve backing it up Rublev saved a couple of break points holding for 3-2.
Sixty-eight minutes into the match, Sinner threatened serve with two more break points. Reaching back, Rublev ripped a serve winner and pumped an ace down the T saving both and eventually holding for 4-3.
Credit Sinner for standing tall and acing his way out of a double-break point dilemma to even after eight games.
In a pressure-packed ninth game, Sinner pulled off one of the most remarkable plays of the tournament.
Whipping wind blew the ball out of his strike zone and Sinner tumbled to the court chasing a forehand, scrambled to his feet, made a stab backhand to prolong the point and eventually smacked a forehand winner off the sideline.
A superb sequence helped Sinner squeeze Rublev in a game where the Italian gained three break points. Rublev repelled all three hammering some body serves to set up his forehand as he held for 5-4.
Sinner, who adopted a deeper return position in the second set, finally banged out the break, rattling out a framed forehand to edge ahead 6-5.
Though his best tennis eluded him at times, Sinner’s competitive character carried him through as he served out the second set to force a decider.
Trying to reset, Rublev instead reignited rage issues. Missing a backhand to drop serve in the opening game of the final set, Rublev compounded his transgression by smashing his Head racquet to the court.
Sinner surged through eight straight points snatching a 2-0 lead.
The frontcourt is not a comfort zone for Rublev. When he moved forward, Sinner scalded a backhand pass scoring his third consecutive break to extend his double-break lead to 3-0.
Serving for the semifinals at 5-2, Sinner decelerated on a second serve double-faulting into net to cede the break to Rublev.
On his second shot to serve it out, Sinner made good.
In a freaky ending to a rollercoaster match, Sinner slid a forehand that the wind blew away from Rublev’s racquet to bring a wild two hour, 26-minute match to an end.