Jannik Sinner overcame an early challenge and a leg injury to defeat Ben Shelton in straight sets and advance to his second consecutive Australian Open final. The World No. 1 will face Alexander Zverev in Sunday's championship match.
Defending champion Jannik Sinner battled past American Ben Shelton to reach his second consecutive Australian Open final, winning in straight sets, 7-6 (2), 6-2, 6-2. Sinner, ranked World No. 1, continues his dominance on hard courts, having now reached three straight finals in major tournaments, following his US Open and Australian Open victories last season. Both players faced leg injuries during the match, requiring medical attention.
Shelton, competing in just his second grand slam semifinal, received particularly intense thigh massage on several occasions. Despite losing his first encounter against the 22-year-old American at the 2023 Shanghai Masters, Sinner has now won five consecutive matches against Shelton. 'It was a very tough first set, but a very crucial one,' Sinner said in his on-court interview. 'I felt like he was serving not at his best today. I think we both returned better than we served, and first sets are always very important. It gives you a bit of confidence. There was a bit of tension for both of us, but I'm very happy with how I handled the situation.' Sinner admitted the tension caused him to experience 'small cramps' during the match, visibly fidgeting during the interview as he tried to keep his legs moving. 'He was also suffering a bit on his leg today, so I tried moving him around and staying a little bit more aggressive, which helped a lot,' Sinner explained. 'These matches can go very, very long, so I'm happy to finish in three sets today.' Shelton started strongly, breaking Sinner in the opening game. The 23-year-old Italian quickly broke back to level at 2-2, but Shelton appeared to have the decisive break at 6-5, giving himself a chance to serve out the set. However, Shelton squandered two set points, allowing Sinner to break back and take the set to a tiebreaker, which the Italian won comfortably. From there, the match shifted significantly in Sinner's favor. Two early breaks of serve in the second set allowed Sinner to build a commanding 2-0 lead. Shelton fought harder in the third set but failed to convert any of the three break points he earned over two of Sinner's service games. This proved crucial, as Sinner broke Shelton twice in a row to seal the victory. Sinner will now face Alexander Zverev, who is seeking his first grand slam title, in Sunday's final. Novak Djokovic was forced to withdraw due to injury in Friday's first semifinal. 'It will be a tough match,' Sinner said. 'We've had some very tough matches in the past. Everything can happen. He's an incredible player. He's looking for his first major. There's again going to be a lot of tension, but I'm happy to put myself in this position again. Sundays in tournaments are very, very special days, so I'm going to enjoy it.
Jannik Sinner Ben Shelton Australian Open Tennis Grand Slam Final
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