Defending champion Jannik Sinner overcame a spirited challenge from Denis Shapovalov to reach the fourth round of the US Open with a 5-7, 6-4, 6-3, 6-3 victory on Saturday, extending his unbeaten run at hard-court grand slams to 24 matches.
The 24-year-old world number one has not lost on the surface at a major since 2023, a streak that includes back-to-back Australian Open titles and last year’s triumph at Flushing Meadows.
“It was a very tough match today,” Sinner said afterwards. “I know Denis a long time. The last time we played was years ago, and we’ve both improved so much since then. He started very well, so I just tried to stay strong mentally. I’m really happy I managed to win, and the support has been amazing.”
There was an early wobble when Sinner double-faulted to fall 0-30 down at 2-5 in the opening set. Although he fought back to break, Shapovalov eventually snatched the set after another double fault drew gasps from the Arthur Ashe Stadium crowd.
From there, however, Sinner showed why he sits at the top of the rankings. He breezed through the second set with minimal fuss, then rallied from 0-3 down in the third to claim six consecutive games and seize control of the contest. A further break in the fourth set sealed the win, as Shapovalov’s frustration boiled over with sarcastic celebrations and complaints towards his team.
The Italian now advances to face either Tommy Paul or Alexander Bublik in the last 16.
“Week two is always completely different,” Sinner added. “There are fewer people around, and it gets tougher physically and mentally. But this tournament is special for me – my first slam main draw was here, and last year I won here. It’s amazing to still be in the fight.”
