Jannik Sinner showcased his efficiency and power as he defeated Jan-Lennard Struff 7-5, 7-6 (4), 6-3 to advance to the Wimbledon semi-finals. The defending champion will now face Novak Djokovic in a highly anticipated clash.
Sinner's Dominant Performance
Sinner's victory marked his fourth consecutive straight-sets win since his opening five-setter, keeping him fresh and avoiding the heat issues that plagued him at Roland Garros. The match lasted just over two and a half hours, with Sinner saving a set point in the second set before taking control.
"Thanks for reminding me," Sinner joked when asked about the heat. "We worked a lot after Paris trying to understand what went wrong." He added that he felt comfortable on court, noting the dry conditions contrasted with the humidity in Paris.
Key Statistics
Almost 80% of points were decided in four shots or fewer, with Sinner winning 91-72 (56%) in that category. He also dominated in longer rallies, winning 17-18 in the 5-8 shot range and 6-5 in rallies of nine or more shots.
Struff, who had won three five-set matches to reach his first Grand Slam quarter-final, served brilliantly early on. He dropped just four points on serve until 5-5 in the first set, but Sinner broke in the 11th game and served out the set.
Second Set Battle
Sinner broke for 2-1 in the second set but was broken back immediately. He saved a set point at 4-5 with a big serve before winning the tie-break 7-4 to double his lead. The Italian broke again at 4-3 in the third set and served out the match.
"It felt like I was serving quite intelligently today," Sinner said. "Also, how I handled important moments in that match because if you lose the second set, everything can happen again."
Zverev Reaches First Wimbledon Quarter-Final
Alexander Zverev also advanced to his first Wimbledon quarter-final, defeating Jiri Lehecka 6-4, 7-5, 3-6, 7-6 (6). The match was suspended on Monday night due to the 11pm curfew, and Zverev lost the first three games on resumption before rallying to win the fourth-set tie-break.
"Who would've thought it would've taken me only 12 years to get here?" Zverev said. "I'm incredibly happy and relieved to achieve that but, of course, I want to play three more matches here."
