Could Sinner Be Closer to Sealing the Semis Berth at Paris Masters?
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Key Takeaways
Paris, Nov 1 (NationPress) Jannik Sinner has advanced closer to reclaiming the world No. 1 spot following a decisive victory over Ben Shelton at the Paris Masters.
The unexpected second-round defeat of Carlos Alcaraz by Cameron Norrie has created an opportunity for the Italian player, who could surpass the Spaniard by winning the ATP Masters 1000 title in the French capital.
Sinner secured his semifinal spot in Paris for the first time with a score of 6-3, 6-3, marking his seventh consecutive win against Shelton. The 24-year-old is set to face off against third seed Alexander Zverev, who triumphed over Daniil Medvedev after saving two match points in a thrilling three-set match.
"I’m really pleased. It was an incredibly challenging match. At times, his serving makes it hard to maintain control, but I felt my returning was on point today. I played solidly and aggressively from the back of the court," Sinner expressed to Sky Sports.
Although Sinner briefly lost his serve in the second set, he quickly regained his dominance, concluding the match against 23-year-old Shelton in under 70 minutes.
"Right now, I’m not focused on the ranking," he added. "It’s a result of my current performance."
"Reaching the semifinals here in Paris is significant for me. This has been a long season filled with excellent results, and I never take them for granted."
Sinner will now meet Zverev in the semifinals after the German staged a comeback to defeat Medvedev 2-6, 6-3, 7-6 (7-5).
Alexander Bublik reached his first-ever Masters semifinal after a hard-fought victory over Australian sixth seed Alex de Minaur with scores of 6-7 (5-7), 6-4, 7-5, leading to emotional celebrations for Kazakhstan’s top player.
The 13th seed will next face Canada’s Felix Auger-Aliassime, who easily defeated Shanghai Masters champion Valentin Vacherot with a score of 6-2, 6-2 to secure his place in the final four.