World number one Jannik Sinner secured his place in the Wimbledon semi-finals with a hard-fought 7-5, 7-6, 6-3 victory over Jan-Lennard Struff on Tuesday. The defending champion will now face either Novak Djokovic or Felix Auger-Aliassime on Friday.
Playing in stifling hot conditions, Sinner struggled to find his rhythm against the big-serving German, who was competing in his first Grand Slam quarter-final. Despite the challenges, Sinner delivered when it mattered most, winning the key points in each set.
Key Moments Decide the Match
Struff served to force a tie-break in the first set at 5-5 but was broken, allowing Sinner to take the set 7-5. In the second set, Struff had a set point on Sinner's serve at 5-4, but the Italian saved it and then dominated the tie-break 7-4. The third set saw Sinner break for a 5-3 lead and serve out the match.
“We worked a lot after Paris trying to understand what went wrong and prepared in the best possible way,” Sinner said, referring to his struggles with heat at the French Open earlier this summer. “It was a huge test today, I felt comfortable on the physical side, a good step forwards. If it happens again like Paris, I hope not, we know that we need to change a couple of things again.”
Sinner's Forehand Struggles
Sinner's forehand was unreliable throughout the match, with seven of his ten unforced errors in the first set coming off that wing. However, he improved his serve when needed, hitting key aces and unreturned serves to escape dangerous moments.
Struff's gameplan was clear: rush the net and disrupt Sinner's rhythm. The German won several points at the net and forced Sinner into errors, but could not sustain the pressure. He dropped only two points in his opening service game but was broken at critical junctures.
Physical Test in the Heat
The match was played in extremely hot conditions, which had caused Sinner problems at the French Open. This time, the Italian felt better prepared and showed improved fitness. “We worked a lot after Paris,” Sinner emphasized.
Sinner now has two full days off before his semi-final clash. He will face either seven-time champion Novak Djokovic or Felix Auger-Aliassime, who play their quarter-final on Wednesday.
