Rock-solid Sinner wears down Shelton to reach second straight Australian Open final

Defending champion Jannik Sinner survived a first-set scare to book his place in the final of the Australian Open for the second year in a row with a 7-6 (2), 6-2, 6-2 victory over American Ben Shelton on Friday.

Shelton had two set points in the first set but once world No 1 Sinner took it on the tiebreak, the result never looked in doubt and he cruised through to set up a meeting with Alexander Zverev, who reached the final when Novak Djokovic quit through injury after losing the first set to the German.

“It was very tough in the first set, but a very crucial one,” Sinner said. “I felt he was not serving at his best today, not at the percentage he wanted. I think we were both returning better than we were serving.

“Winning the first set always gives you confidence. There was a lot of tension and I had a bit of cramp, but I saw he had some physical issues too, so I was trying to move him around. I am very happy to be back in the final here.”

Shelton misses TWO SET POINTS in opener

A quarter-finalist here two years ago and a semi-finalist at the US Open the same year, the left-handed Shelton has all the talent in the world and broke in the opening game of the match.

Sinner, who won his second Grand Slam title at the US Open last September, broke back for 2-2 but Shelton continued to cause him problems, mixing up his serve cleverly and giving the Italian different looks on almost every rally, be it slice, topspin, angles or flattened out drives.

The two men held serve to 5-5, Shelton staying on level terms thanks, in part, to one second serve that wad clocked at 216kph. The 22-year-old American then broke the Sinner serve for a second time to lead 6-5 and a superb body serve gave him set point.

But this is where Sinner is so good. He saved the set point and then another as Shelton wilted, and in the ensuing tiebreak, he lost his way, Sinner racing to a 4-0 lead and sealing it 7-2.

Sinner pulls away for victory

Shelton had points to win each of the first three games of the second set but lost them all and the Italian slowly began to impose himself on the match.

Shelton still had his moments, including one stunning forehand down the line on the run, but Sinner maintained his advantage to double his lead and then, in the third set, after saving a break point at 1-1, broke Shelton for 3-2, while the American had a rub down on his thighs.

Sinner’s only concern was an apparent cramp in his leg but he came through it unflustered to take his place in his third Grand Slam final.

“First of all, it’s going to be mental, no,” Sinner said of playing Zverev in the final. “Then, of course, we played already sometimes. It’s going to be a tough match for both of us. It’s going to be physical, for sure. Then we see.

“I think he played some incredible tennis to go to the final. It’s tough to say whoever is the favourite in a way because everything can happen.”

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