Defending champion Jannik Sinner delivered another commanding performance at the Australian Open, overpowering American eighth seed Ben Shelton 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 to book his place in the semi-finals and set up a blockbuster showdown with 10-time champion Novak Djokovic.
The world No. 2 continued his dominant run in Melbourne, extending his winning streak over Shelton to nine straight matches, all without dropping a set. Sinner is now firmly on track for a third consecutive Australian Open title, reaching his ninth Grand Slam semi-final and sixth in a row.
Although the scoreline suggested comfort, Sinner was repeatedly tested by Shelton’s explosive left-handed serve. One delivery in particular almost struck him, leaving little time to react. Still, the Italian handled the pressure with composure and precision.
“It’s very tough to play against Ben,” Sinner said. “He has a huge serve and he’s improving year after year. As a lefty, it’s a completely different challenge, and returning his serve is one of the toughest tasks.”
Sinner seized early control by breaking serve in the opening set with a stunning winner wrapped around the net post. Shelton briefly raised his level in the second set, earning a break point at 1-2, but Sinner shut the door and maintained his grip on the match. Despite appearing slightly off-colour at times, he closed the second set when Shelton pushed a shot long.
The third set was tighter, with break points coming and going, but a Shelton double fault handed Sinner the decisive edge at 5-4. He calmly served out the match to seal victory.
After experiencing cramps earlier in the tournament during extreme heat, Sinner said his physical condition had improved significantly. “I feel stronger physically again,” he noted. “I’m happy to be in the semi-finals once more.”
Attention now turns to his highly anticipated clash with Novak Djokovic, the 24-time Grand Slam champion. Sinner acknowledged the scale of the challenge ahead, calling such encounters the reason players train and compete.
“These are the moments you work for,” he said. “You have to play at your best. Playing Novak always teaches you something, whether you win or lose. We’re lucky to still have him playing incredible tennis, and hopefully it will be a great battle for everyone.”
