Sinner reaches US Open semis; Pegula stuns Swiatek

NEW YORK  – Jannik Sinner closed in on his second Grand Slam title of 2024 on Wednesday when he reached his maiden US Open semifinal as Jessica Pegula stunned Iga Swiatek to complete a rollercoaster Grand Slam year for the world No. 1.

Top seed Sinner defeated 2021 US Open champion and two-time runner-up Daniil Medvedev 6-2, 1-6, 6-1, 6-4.

He will take on 25th-ranked Jack Draper for a place in the final after the British player made his first semifinal at the Slams with a 6-3, 7-5, 6-2 win over Australia’s Alex de Minaur.

Sinner, 23, is the only top-10 man to make the semifinals with No. 12 Taylor Fritz due to face US compatriot Frances Tiafoe, ranked 20, in Friday’s other last-four duel.

Sixth-ranked Pegula booked a place in the last-four of a Grand Slam for the first time by sweeping past Swiatek 6-2, 6-4.

On Thursday, she will tackle Karolina Muchova who saw off Beatriz Haddad Maia of Brazil 6-1, 6-4.

Emma Navarro of the US tackles world No. 2 and Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka in the other women’s semifinal.

“It was very tough, I knew it would be very physical,” said Sinner, who had also beaten Medvedev to capture the Australian Open.

“It was strange in the first two sets, whoever got the break started to roll.”