Jannik Sinner advanced to a third consecutive Australian Open semi-final on Wednesday after defeating Ben Shelton in straight sets.
Sinner rarely looked troubled against Shelton, winning the contest 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 in two hours and 23 minutes.
Sinner almost exited the competition in round three after suffering full-body cramps amid soaring temperatures. He has since recovered and has failed to drop a set in either of his previous two rounds.
Who is going to win the men’s Australian Open?
The Italian star will play Novak Djokovic in the semi-finals. Djokovic, a 10-time champion in Melbourne, can count himself lucky to have progressed, as an unfortunate injury scuppered Lorenzo Musetti’s chance to advance.
After defeating Shelton, Sinner reacted to his compatriot’s injury while noting how he felt about facing Djokovic in the last four.
Jannik Sinner reacts to Lorenzo Musetti’s injury against Novak Djokovic
Lorenzo Musetti looked set to advance to his first Australian Open semi-final when he led Novak Djokovic 6-4, 6-3 on Rod Laver Arena.
However, midway through the third set, Musetti suffered a debilitating right leg injury. At 1-3 in the third set, Musetti retired from the match; handing Djokovic a place in the semi-finals.
Jannik Sinner expressed sympathy for his compatriot’s plight during his post-match press conference.
“Unfortunate for Lorenzo,” he said. “In the other way, it’s very difficult to play against Novak, especially best of five. It’s still long.
“So, you know, I hope it’s nothing too tough for Lorenzo, you know, because starting the season with an injury is also not easy.”
“At the same time, you know, it’s going to be very tough match the next one. We know each other quite well, so it’s going to be interesting to see how we handle the situation, and then we see, but I haven’t seen a lot.”
Sinner has dominated his head-to-head matchup with Djokovic in recent years, winning five consecutive matches against the Serbian superstar.
Sinner defeated Djokovic in two Grand Slam semi-finals in 2025, and could defeat the 24-time major winner in a last-four contest once again when he steps into Rod Laver Arena on Friday.
Lorenzo Musetti’s unfortunate statistic
As per OptaAce, Lorenzo Musetti is the first player in the Open Era to retire in Grand Slam quarter-final or onwards after taking the first two sets.
After losing to Djokovic, Musetti told reporters in Melbourne that he had suffered a right leg injury. Whether this injury will see Musetti miss a significant portion of the season is yet to be established.
Who would win this legendary showdown?
As for Jannik Sinner, the Italian has now won 12 consecutive matches against top 10 opposition, dating back to his victory against Alex de Minaur at the 2025 China Open.
Sinner could increase his streak to 13 when he plays Novak Djokovic on Friday.
