Cincinnati Open: Sinner overcomes Zverev challenge to reach final; Sets up summit clash against Tiafoe

Australian Open champion Jannik Sinner, who already leads the ATP Tour with four titles this season, won 70% of his first-serve points and converted two of his four break-point chances

Jannik Sinner of Italy returns a shot during his match against Alexander Zverev of Germany on day seven of the Cincinnati Open. | Photo Credit: REUTERS

Italian world number one Jannik Sinner played through a nagging hip issue to beat Germany’s Alexander Zverev 7-6(9) 5-7 7-6(4) on Sunday and reach the final of the Cincinnati Open where he will face Frances Tiafoe.

Australian Open champion Sinner, who leads the ATP Tour with four titles this season, was limping at times and also favoured his right hip but dug deep to dispatch the 2021 Cincinnati champion in three hours and seven minutes.

“It means a lot to me. It’s a very different moment, what I’m going through, so I’m very happy about this result,” Sinner said in an on-court interview.

“The physical aspect, of course, I have to improve, because if I want to win Grand Slams or a bigger title, I have to be, for sure, more in shape. But I just tried to stay there mentally, which I’m very proud (of), and let’s see what’s coming tomorrow,” he said.

Zverev was three points away from serving out the opener but Sinner broke to level at 5-5 before they headed to a rain-interrupted tiebreak where the Italian secured the frame on his third set point with a backhand volley.

The players exchanged early breaks in the second set but German world number four Zverev held to love to go 6-5 up and then levelled the match in the next game when Sinner sent a forehand smash into the net.

Neither player faced a break point in a tightly contested decider that required a tiebreak where Sinner took control, dropping just one point on his serve and sealing the match when Zverev sent a backhand long.

In the other semifinal, unseeded Tiafoe beat Danish 15th seed Holger Rune 4-6 6-1 7-6(4) to reach the biggest final of his career.

Rune got the only break of the first set to go 5-4 up and then served out the frame before Tiafoe stormed through the second stanza in 25 minutes to force a decider.

The Dane raced out to a 5-2 lead but Tiafoe then followed a routine service hold with a break to love and then saved two match points on his serve to get to 5-5.

The players went on to a tiebreak that ended when Rune sent a shot long. With the win, Tiafoe became the first American to reach the final since John Isner in 2013.