NEW YORK: Jannik Sinner closed in on his second Grand Slam title of 2024 on Wednesday when he reached his maiden US Open semi-final while Jessica Pegula ousted top seed Iga Swia­tek in the quarter-finals to continue the rich vein of American success at Flushing Meadows.

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 face Jack Draper for a spot in a second Grand Slam final after the British surprise package earlier stunned hobbled Australian Alex de Minaur 6-3, 7-5, 6-2 to become the first British man to reach the semis since 2012.

Sinner, 23, is the only top-10 man to make the semi-finals with number 12 Taylor Fritz due to face US compatriot Frances Tiafoe, ranked 20, in Friday’s other last-four duel.

Sixth-ranked Pegula took advantage of an error-strewn performance from Swiatek to book a spot in her maiden Grand Slam semi-final 6-2, 6-4.

Pegula, who had lost six previous Grand Slam quarter-finals, will take on Karolina Muchova after the unseeded Czech beat Brazilian Beatriz Haddad Maia 6-1, 6-4 in the day session at Arthur Ashe stadium despite battling a “bug”.

The losses for Swiatek and Medvedev ensured that the US Open will crown two new champions this year.

Mistakes plagued 2021 champion Medvedev, who made 57 unforced errors over a topsy-turvy match against Sinner.

The Russian failed to capitalise on the momentum he gained by winning the second set, losing five games straight in the third before handing Sinner a break in the fourth with an unforced error.

“It was strange the first two sets because whoever made the first break started to roll,” said Sinner, who beat Medvedev in the Australian Open final this year before losing to him in the Wimbledon quarter-finals. “It was very tough... we knew it would be very physical.”

Draper powered into his first Grand Slam semi-final without having dropped a set in the tournament, having earned his first career victory over 10th seed De Minaur.

The Australian battled to find his range from the start and was broken early, setting the tone for the match as he racked up the unforced errors.

The Australian broke to level the second set at 4-4 only to see Draper break in the 11th game before consolidating to seize a 2-0 lead in the match.

Draper’s power and precision in the third set wore down De Minaur, who has been struggling with a hip issue since Wimbledon.

“The way he can spread the court, being a lefty and really move you around the court, it takes a toll on the body,” De Minaur said. “Accumulation of matches takes a toll as well.”

Not since Andy Murray won the title in 2012 has Britain had a representative in the men’s singles semi-finals at the US Open.

“It’s amazing. My first time on Arthur Ashe Stadium, it means the world to me,” said Draper, who had lost three times in three meetings with De Minaur before Wednesday. “I played a solid match and I feel the best, fitness-wise, that I have felt in a long time.”

Draper continued an impressive summer run which saw him capture his first ATP title in Stuttgart and then defeat Carlos Alcaraz at Queen’s Club.

Draper sent down 11 aces among his 40 winners while forcing De Minaur to fend off 14 of 20 break points.

The British player enjoys a 1-0 lead over Sinner in the pair’s head-to-head record although that win at Queen’s came three years ago.

Pegula has now won 14 times in 15 matches on US hard courts this summer.

“Finally I can say I’m a semi-finalist. I lost so many of these damn things,” said the American after her fourth career win against Swiatek.

Before Wednesday, she had lost six times at the quarter-final stage at the majors.

“I’m really happy to be through to the semi-finals,” said Pegula. “I thought I played a really clean match. I feel like I didn’t really do anything that bad, and was able to kind of jump on her really early and I think frustrate her.”

Swiatek, the 2022 champion, could not claim the same as she suffered service issues in the opening set and made 41 unforced errors over the match.

The Pole’s struggles with her serve started early and Pegula took full advantage to race out to a 4-0 lead in the first set.

Swiatek looked sharper as she broke Pegula early in the second set but was unable to regain momentum with the sixth seeded American breaking back and going on to take the win.

Swiatek was left to ponder an uneven season at the Grand Slams. There was the high of a fourth French Open triumph but that was sandwiched by third-round exits at the Australian Open and Wimbledon.

At the Paris Olympics, played on her favourite Roland Garros courts, she had to settle for the bronze medal.

“It’s hard to have low expectations when everybody is expecting something from you,” said Swiatek. “I didn’t really understand why my serve wasn’t working. It was hard for me to find, like, a proper solution for that. Today I just made too many mistakes.”

Muchova’s win over Haddad Maia came despite having to sprint to the bathroom early in the second set, a dash which caught everyone on the hop.

“I had a problem that I wouldn’t like to comment on,” said the 28-year-old. “I really didn’t have any other choice.”

After losing to eventual champion Coco Gauff in the 2023 semi-finals, Muchova suffered a serious wrist injury which sidelined her until June this year.

In only her sixth tournament back on tour, Muchova looked sharp early on as she grabbed a 4-0 lead over Haddad Maia before taking the opening set.

The Brazilian improved in the second set and the players exchanged breaks before Muchova, after having the physio and doctor at her chair, held to reach 5-3 before taking advantage of new balls and sealing victory with an ace.

“I think I played good in the key points, meaning when I had a breakpoint or I was serving for a game, I always pulled out a good shot, I think,” Muchova said. “I’m happy that I managed it in two sets again. I’m fighting [a] bug a little bit. I’m a little sick. I hope it didn’t disturb anyone.”

A former world number eight, now ranked at 52, Muchova has yet to drop a set, knocking out two-time champion Naomi Osaka and this year’s French Open and Wimbledon runner-up Jasmine Paolini.

Published in Dawn, September 6th, 2024