Melbourne, Jan 28 (NationPress) World No. 2 Jannik Sinner has solidified his pursuit of a third consecutive Australian Open title by reaching the semifinals after a decisive victory over local star Ben Shelton, with scores of 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 at Rod Laver Arena on Wednesday. This win marks his impressive 19-match winning streak at Melbourne Park.

The two-time defending champion has now accumulated nine consecutive victories and 22 straight sets against the talented left-handed player, setting the stage for a highly anticipated semifinal match against Novak Djokovic on Friday.

In his ninth Grand Slam semifinal and third at the Australian Open, the four-time major champion faces a significant challenge against the record 10-time winner Djokovic. Sinner has triumphed over Djokovic in their previous encounters in the semifinals at the Australian Open (2024), Roland Garros (2025), and Wimbledon (2025), according to ATP reports.

Shelton, who only dropped one set leading up to his third Australian Open quarter-final, found it challenging to showcase his best performance against the Italian, as in their past matches.

Sinner focused on targeting Shelton’s backhand, applying pressure on his forehand side, and maintaining control from the baseline, improving his head-to-head record against the American to 9-1. They have now faced each other four times in major tournaments, with Sinner emerging victorious in all four encounters, including twice in Australia and twice at Wimbledon.

Although Shelton expected more from his serve, Sinner's response was formidable in the initial two sets. In baseline exchanges, it was the Italian who consistently gained the upper hand.

The evening was filled with intrigue, and despite the one-sided scoreline, Sinner exhibited signs of physical strain from the end of the second set.

Sinner dominated the first set, ending with an 18–4 advantage in winners to unforced errors, and successfully carried this momentum into the second set. The pressure mounted on Shelton as he struggled to find a consistent rhythm and faltered at critical moments. He was unable to convert any of the three break points he had in the set, committing 17 unforced errors that allowed Sinner to extend his lead.

Although the No. 2 seed showed signs of physical fatigue towards the end of the second set, he secured a crucial break in the ninth game of the third set after Shelton double-faulted at 15/40.

The 24-year-old appeared to lack energy for a brief period, resulting in a slight decline in the quality and intensity of his performance. Nevertheless, the Italian regained his composure, broke late in the third set, and closed out the match with his serve, securing another straight-sets win after two hours and 25 minutes.