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Top-seeded Jannik Sinner has reached the first U.S. Open final of his career after delivering a 7-5, 7-6 (3), 6-2 victory over 25th-seeded Jack Draper in their semifinal match on Friday in New York.
Sinner had a 43-29 edge in winners while sweeping the Brit on a hot and humid afternoon. Draper vomited multiple times during the match.
Sinner, from Italy, had his left wrist examined late in the second set but looked sharp in the third while finishing off the match.
"Me and Jack know each other very well. We are friends off the court," Sinner said on-court at Arthur Ashe Stadium. "It was a very physical match as we see and I just tried to stay there mentally. He is so tough to beat and it is a very special occasion. I am happy to be in the final here."
Sinner is looking to become the first Italian man to win the U.S. Open. He will face an American in Sunday's final as No. 12 seed Taylor Fritz and No. 20 Frances Tiafoe meet in Friday night's other semifinal.
An American hasn't won the U.S. Open since Andy Roddick in 2003, and the pro-American crowd figures to be rooting against Sinner on Sunday.
"I am just happy to be in the final," Sinner said. "Whoever it is, it is going to be a very tough challenge for me.
"I am looking forward to it. Finals are very special days. Every Sunday you play shows you are doing an amazing job, so I will try to keep pushing and I will see what I can do."
Draper held 5-4 leads in both the first and second sets, but Sinner rallied both times. He won the final three games of the first set and forced a tiebreaker in the second that he won to take a commanding lead.
Draper was the first Brit to reach the U.S. Open semifinals since Andy Murray won the tournament in 2012. He was hurt by 10 double faults and 43 unforced errors on Friday. Sinner committed two and 34, respectively.
Sinner has been playing under a cloud of controversy. He twice tested positive for a banned substance in March but he wasn't suspended because the International Tennis Integrity Agency determined he was not at fault.
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Novak Djokovic sparks major concern ahead of U.S. Open
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Chargers star's brutal injury shows why players should hold out with new contracts on line
Los Angeles Chargers offensive tackle Rashawn Slater was carted off the practice field on Thursday afternoon with what turned out to be a significant injury. According to ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter, the two-time Pro Bowler suffered a season-ending knee injury. It's a massive blow to the team's offensive line and offense as a whole. It also serves as a harsh reminder as to why players will always — and should always — act on the side of caution when it comes to participating in training camp when they are seeking a new contract. In Slater's case, he's a lucky one because he just agreed to a new four-year, $114 million contract extension with $92 million in guarantees days before the injury happened. That contract was signed after he did not participate in some of the team's early training-camp practice sessions. If Slater had participated early on and had this injury happen before he was able to get his new deal signed, it would have been a devastating blow in his quest to get that pay day. Not only would the Chargers have had no incentive to pay him this season, but there is no guarantee he would have ever received that sort of contract in the future. Fans might not like the idea of a hold-out or hold-in, but you have to look at it from the perspective of the player. They have a very limited time to earn top dollar in the NFL, and there are never any guarantees. The hold-out/hold-in approach is not only a way to put pressure on the team to pay them, but it's also a matter of self-preservation. Football is a violent game. It's a physical game. It's a collision game. Injuries are always going to be a part of that. But injuries happen with much greater frequency early in the season, and especially in training camp, due to the fact that players are still working their way back into game shape and going through more intense and physical practices than they do at any point during the season. It's a dangerous time for them in terms of injuries, and that should not be overlooked when it comes to contract talks. Players have short careers and even less time to set themselves up financially. They should not be willing to take unnecessary risks when it comes to their earning power. The Slater situation shows just how delicate all of it is.
Dream Dealt Unfortunate News on Brittney Griner on Thursday
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