(Reuters) – Italian world number one Jannik Sinner shook off a second-set blip to beat Germany’s Alexander Zverev 7-6(9) 5-7 7-6(4) on Sunday and reach the Cincinnati Open final.
Australian Open champion Sinner, who already leads the ATP Tour with four titles this season, won 70% of his first-serve points and converted two of his four break-point chances to get by the 2021 Cincinnati champion in three hours seven minutes.
Zverev was three points away from serving out the opener but Sinner broke to level the proceedings at 5-5 before they headed to a rain-interrupted tiebreak where the Italian secured the frame on his third set point with a backhand volley.
The players exchanged early breaks in the second set but German world number four Zverev used a hold at love to go 6-5 up and then levelled the match in the next game when Sinner sent a forehand smash into the net.
Neither player faced a break point in a tightly contested decider that required a tiebreak where Sinner took control, dropping just one point on his serve and sealing the match when Zverev sent a backhand long.
Zverev will next face either Danish 15th seed Holger Rune or Frances Tiafoe, who is looking to become the first American finalist in Cincinnati since John Isner in 2013.
(Reporting by Frank Pingue in Toronto; Editing by Stephen Coates)
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