Sinner in the final in Cincinnati, the first Italian

Jannik Sinner beat Germany’s Alexander Zverev in three sets 7-6 (11-9) 5-7 7-6 in the semi-finals of the Masters 1000 in Cincinnati. At the end of an intense and hard-fought match, the world number one secured victory after saving two set points in the first-set tiebreak, which was stopped by rain with the Italian leading 3-2.

Sinner thus becomes the first Italian to reach the final in Cincinnati. He will play in his fifth Masters 1000 final, and his second this year after his victory in Miami. At the end of an intense match, and despite having beaten Zverev only once in five matches, at Roland Garros 2020, Sinner managed to do it this time, saving two set points in the first-set tiebreak.

“It was a very tough and emotional match,” said the Italian after the match. “We played in different conditions: sun, rain and then night. There was a lot of tension for both of us. I am very happy with my performance and happy to have reached the final. I had to play with my instinct, I feel it. That is my strength,” added the Italian tennis player.

“We had ups and downs in three hours” of the meeting. “I couldn’t have played a better match to prepare,” he continued, referring to the US Open starting in eight days. Sinner, who has recently been battling a hip problem, a case of flu and tonsillitis, and who was forced to miss the Olympics, said he needed to stay fit.

“If I want to win the most important matches, I have to be in better shape. Today I stayed mentally strong and I am proud of that. There was a lot of tension for all of us. I am very happy with my performance and happy to be in the final,” he concluded before the US Open starts on August 26. “I could not have played a better match to prepare myself.”

Sinner, who celebrated his 23rd birthday on Friday, will play in his fifth Masters 1000 final, and his second this year after winning in Miami in March.

He will face American Tiafoe, who beat Dane Rune 4-6, 6-1, 7-6 (7-4) in the other semi-final. Tiafoe, who recovered from 2-5 down in the third set and saved two match points, managed to turn the situation around and will play his first Masters 1000 final today, against the world number one.