Jannik Sinner overcomes Alexander Zverev to reach Cincinnati Open final
Italian tennis star Jannik Sinner has secured his place in the final of the Cincinnati Open, after a thrilling victory over world number four Alexander Zverev. The match ended with a scoreline of 7-6 (11/9), 5-7, 7-6 (7/4) in favor of Sinner. This win marks a significant turnaround for Sinner who had previously lost four out of five matches against Zverev, with his only prior victory dating back to Roland Garros four years ago.
A look at match stats
Sinner won a total of 124 points and 80 service winners throughout the match. He served 12 aces compared to Zverev's 15. Sinner won 64 per cent of his second-serve points compared to 53 per cent for Zverev. Notably, Zverev would have climbed to No. 2 in the PIF ATP Rankings had he won the title.
Sinner's victory over Zverev: A match of endurance and skill
The match, which lasted over three hours, was interrupted by rain during the first-set tiebreaker. Despite this setback and losing an early break in the second set, Sinner managed to save two set points from Zverev and win the opener on his third attempt. The final set saw Sinner take a 5-2 lead in a tiebreaker before securing his victory on his second match point.
Sinner reflects on his performance and upcoming final
Following his victory, Sinner expressed satisfaction with his performance and anticipation for the final. "It was a tough match, a very exciting match," he said. "We played in different conditions: sunny, rain and then night. There was a lot of tension for both of us." He will now face Frances Tiafoe in the final, who won the second semifinal against Danish 15th seed Holger Rune.
Sinner's physical challenges and determination
Despite recent health issues including a hip problem, illness, and tonsillitis that forced him to miss the Olympics, Sinner demonstrated remarkable resilience. He acknowledged the need for improved fitness stating, "If I'm going to win bigger matches, I have to be more in shape." Despite physical discomfort during the match against Zverev, he managed to stay mentally strong and secure his place in the final of the Cincinnati Open.
