US Open: No Upset Here as Sinner is a Winner to Move Into Fourth Round

(August 31, 2024) FLUSHING, NY – The top seed Jannick Sinner blew past Australian Christopher O’Connell 6-1, 6-4, 6-2 to reach the fourth round at the US Open on Saturday. It is the fourth straight year he’s reached the fourth round. The last two nights high seeds and former champions were knocked out in surprise upsets – No. 3 Carlos Alcaraz on Thursday night and No. 2 Novak Djokovic on Friday night.

“Everything can happen in this sport, so I try to stay on my side of the net and I’m trying to take [the tournament] day by day,” Sinner said in his on-court interview. “Each opponent is a very tough challenge and [I am] also enjoying every moment on the court. There have been already a couple of upsets, so let’s see what’s coming.

“But I’m very happy to still be here and hopefully I can play as many matches as possible. But as I said, we go day by day and then we’ll see how it goes.”

Sinner hit 46 winners during the match including 15 aces and had no break points against him.

Next up for the Italian world No. 1 is Tommy Paul of the US , the 14th seed.

“Yeah, big challenge,” Sinner said to media. “He’s great mover. He has improved a lot in the last period of time. It’s going to be a tough challenge.

“He plays some great tennis, especially here in America, so it’s gonna be a tough match for me. But hopefully I’m ready to compete in the best possible way, and I’m just looking forward to it, no?

“These matches are very exciting to play and I’m happy to be part of this. So let’s see.”

Paul beat qualifier Gabriel Diallo of Canada 6-7. 6-3, 6-1. 7-6.

“We’ve had some great matches,” Paul said in terms of playing Sinner. “I remember I played him on clay, had some match points against him. Then the last match, I think it was in Toronto, he played awesome. I didn’t feel like I did too much wrong. He kind of took the racquet out of my hands. I’m definitely going to try and, you know, make it uncomfortable for him.

“I’m not, from the baseline, I wouldn’t say I’m a better ball striker than him, so I definitely got to impose my game on him and try and play my tennis more than his tennis.”

“The bang-bang tennis from the baseline. Like I said, he’s probably the best ball striker on tour, and I’m not. I don’t want to go toe to toe just banging on the baseline with him. I want to try and mix things up.”

Britain’s Jack Draper has reached his second straight fourth round at the US Open with a straight sets win over the man who stunned Carlos Alcaraz on Thursday – Botic van De Zandschulp of the Netherlands 6-3, 6-4, 6-2.

“I thought it (the match) was good in general.” he said. “Pretty solid. You know, I think the first set I was not serving amazingly well, but the rest of my game was pretty solid.

“I had chances, you know, where he had break points, and I saved them and played some good tennis. Then I think I got better as the match went on.

“I was a bit lethargic at the start. I thought it was tough. I’m still learning how to play five sets almost. Knowing that I don’t have to come out and be fully energized, I have to kind of pace myself in these matches because it is potentially a very long match.

“But I thought I did a really good job overall, and my performance and everything I think got better as the match went on.”

Draper will be playing Tomas Machac in the round of 16. “Yeah, Machac for me is — he’s a really, really good player. He has top results. On his day when he is playing amazingly well, he can beat pretty much anyone.

“I’ve been watching his opening rounds here, and he seems like he’s really dialed in, not missing many balls at all, and playing great tennis. You know, that matchup is going to be very difficult.

“We’ve played a few times now. The last couple of times he’s beaten me, but I felt like in those matches I’ve had lots of opportunities and just hasn’t quite gone my way in the moment.

“Also, I feel like I’m in a really good place at the moment, and I’m also playing some good tennis. You know, I know that match will be tough, but I fully believe that if I can just get out there and play some tennis that I know I’m able to, then there’s no reason why I can’t come through that one.”