World No. 1 Jannik Sinner Reaches 1st U.S. Open Semifinal, Eyes 2nd Major Title

In this photo, Italian tennis player Jannik Sinner is seen taking a picture with his fans, who are dressed in orange and call themselves the "Carota Boys." Sinner had just won a match against Russian player Daniil Medvedev in the quarterfinals of the US Open tournament in New York City on September 4, 2024. The image was captured by photographer Kena Betancur for AFP/Getty Images.

Jannik Sinner and Daniil Medvedev were the final two Grand Slam winners left in the men's tournament at the U.S. Open. The winner of their quarterfinal match on Wednesday night was expected to be the top contender to win the championship on Sunday.

Andy Roddick expressed sadness at the fact that it seemed unfair for the top-ranked and fifth-ranked players to face each other in the quarterfinals.

Sinner defeated Medvedev in a thrilling match with a score of 6-2, 1-6, 6-1, 6-4, securing his spot in the U.S. Open semifinals for the first time. He is set to go up against Jack Draper of Great Britain on Friday. On the other side of the draw, Taylor Fritz and Frances Tiafoe, ranked No. 12 and No. 20 respectively, will compete in an all-American semifinal match.

Sinner, a 23-year-old from Italy, is aiming to win his second major championship after defeating Medvedev to win the Australian Open title in January. He is the first male player born after 1988 to reach the semi-finals of all four major tournaments.

Even though he was the final top-seeded player left in the tournament following the surprising losses of Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz, Sinner doesn't consider himself the frontrunner. Draper, a talented 22-year-old southpaw, is playing exceptionally well and has yet to lose a set on his way to his inaugural major semifinal. He impressively beat No. 10 seed Alex De Minaur of Australia with a score of 6-3, 7-5, 6-2 earlier today.

"Every player, whether they are in the quarterfinals, semifinals, or round of 16, deserves their place there," Sinner stated. "You can't expect to win automatically... you always need to figure out how to beat each opponent. That's what I aim to do."

He said: "I am thrilled to be in this situation, competing in some high-quality tennis. Jack is also playing exceptionally well on the court. Perhaps the best he has ever played. This match is going to be challenging."

Jack Draper from Great Britain shows his emotions during his quarterfinal match against Alex De Minaur from Australia at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York City on September 4, 2024. The match took place on Arthur Ashe Stadium. The photo was captured by Peter van den Berg/ISI Photos/Getty Images.

Sinner and Draper have been buddies since they were young, and teamed up to play doubles at the recent Canadian Open. Draper mentioned that Sinner has been a huge influence on his career.

"Jannik is a close friend of mine, someone I have a strong bond with," he expressed.

"We always communicate with each other, whether it's during happy times or tough times. Playing this sport at a young age can be challenging. Being away from home, constantly in competition, and dealing with the physical and emotional demands can be tough. We don't have a lot of friends in this sport, so it's important to support each other."

It was really important to have someone who understands what you're going through. Playing doubles with Jannik in Montreal was an incredible experience. We worked well together and I learned a lot about playing doubles from him, as he is the No. 1 player in the world. It was a lot of fun and I gained a new level of respect for him.

Sinner appears to have put the pre-tournament scandal behind him, in which the top-ranked player tested positive for a prohibited substance but was not penalized.

The ITIA has declared Sinner innocent after he tested positive for drugs twice in March. He has consistently maintained his innocence, claiming that the amount of clostebol detected in his system was extremely minimal.

Djokovic requested for clearly defined rules and consistent handling of doping incidents, while Nick Kyrgios suggested that Sinner should face a ban regardless of whether the doping was intentional or unintentional.

NEW YORK CITY, NY - SEPTEMBER 3: Roger Federer is seen at the 2024 US Open Tennis Championships on day nine at the USTA Billie Jean King Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, Queens. The photo was taken by Jean Catuffe/GC Images.

Roger Federer shared his opinions this week during an interview with NBC, stating: “I can see why people are frustrated and questioning if he has been treated fairly compared to others. I believe this is the underlying issue.”

I believe that we all have faith that Jannik is innocent, but the issue lies in the fact that he was not required to step aside when there was uncertainty surrounding the situation. This is the question that requires clarification.

"We don't want to hear about this kind of news in our sport, whether it's true or not, regardless of who the player is," Federer commented.

"It's all just unwanted noise. I realize it's a difficult situation. It's every athlete and team's worst nightmare to deal with these accusations and issues."

"And it stays with you. Each morning when you wake up, you wonder, 'Is someone going to knock on my door to test me?' So it's really challenging," said the athlete who has won 20 major titles.

A tennis player, who stopped working with his physio and fitness coach before the Open, has kept a small group of people around him since the doping accusations. Those who are close to him say he has realized who his true friends are and who they are not.

"I have my close team and my friends," he mentioned after defeating Medvedev. "They understand me, they know I always stay loyal to those who understand and trust me. This is a crucial aspect for me. I am really pleased to have their support, both in coaching and off the court. Initially, it was challenging, but things improved day by day. I am content with that. Let's see what I can achieve in the semi-finals."