From despair to dominance: Jannik Sinner's epic comeback against Shapovalov to reach US Open fourth round

Jannik Sinner overcame a tough challenge from Denis Shapovalov to advance to the fourth round of the US Open with a 5-7, 6-4, 6-3, 6-1 victory. The world No. 1 was in serious trouble against the Canadian, but his consistent play throughout the match was essential to earning a hard-fought win that keeps him in the running at Flushing Meadows.

During the first half of the match, "Shapo" showed he had the game to compete with the Italian. Shapovalov was outstanding with his serve and didn't seem to have much trouble keeping pace with Sinner in rallies. However, he couldn't maintain his level after giving up a 3-0 lead in the third set, and Sinner took full control of the match over the final hour.

Shapovalov's early dominance shakes Sinner in first set

The first set started with both players comfortably holding serve, and Shapovalov went up 2-1 without a single break point for either player. It was then that a moment of doubt from Sinner gave Shapovalov his first break opportunity, which he took to get ahead on his serve.

The Canadian led 5-2, powered by big first serves and a steady stream of aces—in fact, he hit 15 aces in the first set alone. However, Sinner fought back, getting the break back to tie it at 5-5. The three-time major champion even had a break chance in the next game but couldn't convert. Shapovalov got a final boost at the end of the set, grabbing a second break that gave him the set 7-5.

Sinner's solid play neutralizes Shapovalov's serve on second set

Shapovalov showed he was serious about upsetting the Italian, keeping pace with his serve in the second set. Things remained tight until 3-3, when Sinner finally created his own opportunities. He secured the break and then held on to his serve to take the set 6-4.

The world No. 1 was clinical, winning 94% of his first-serve points and looking much better on the return. Shapovalov, on the other hand, saw his consistency drop from a 61% first-serve rate to just 43%, and his 15 aces from the first set turned into just 3 in the second.

Sinner mounts a stunner of a comeback

The Canadian was forced to play most points on his second serve, losing the consistency he had in the first set. However, Sinner also showed some hesitation on his own serve, and Shapovalov capitalized to get a break at the start. The former world No. 10 went up 3-0, and from the baseline, he looked difficult to beat against a Sinner who was making more unforced errors than usual.

Things changed as the minutes went by. Sinner managed to dig himself out of a tough spot, saving a break point that could have given Shapovalov his fourth consecutive game. The Italian recovered emotionally and took complete control of the match from there, earning three consecutive breaks and playing flawlessly on his serve. Sinner incredibly turned the set around—rebounding from his most difficult moment—and went up 6-3 after winning six games in a row.

Sinner seals the deal in fourth set

Shapovalov seemed to have lost his spirit after losing his significant lead and the match momentum. Sinner's run of games continued, as he got his fourth consecutive break to go up 3-0 (totaling nine straight games in his favor). Consistency was key for the Italian, who broke his opponent's morale and took over the match.

Shapovalov looked defeated but still had the fight to battle in the final stretch. He managed to win his serve game at 3-1 and kept up with Sinner. The Italian was up 5-3 and serving for the match when an unforced error gave Shapovalov one last break opportunity. However, Sinner powered through with strong first serves and closed out the hard-earned 5-7, 6-4, 6-3, 6-3 victory to advance to the fourth round.

The Italian will face the winner between Alexander Bublik (23rd) and Tommy Paul (14th) in the next round.

Match Statistics Sinner vs. Shapovalov