Jannik Sinner advanced to the semi-finals of the Cincinnati Open with a 6-0, 6-2 victory over Felix Auger-Aliassime, a win that reinforced the world No 1’s recent supremacy on hard courts. The scoreline was stark, and the match numbers were equally decisive.

Sinner converted domination into efficient serving and returns. He won 18 of the 23 points played when he landed his first serve and 10 of 16 second-serve points. On return, Sinner won 29 of the 45 points he faced against Auger-Aliassime’s serve, numbers that help explain the lopsided score.

“I felt that I was returning very well today,”

said Sinner. “I think that was the key point, which gave me the confidence to serve well. I had a small drop in the second set when he broke me. It could have been a small change but I am happy I broke him back quite early.

“He is a very difficult opponent because he serves well, he moves well. Physically in incredible shape and hits the forehand very well. But we prepared in the best way, also tactically and I felt like today I was playing some great tennis.”

The victory was Sinner’s first over Auger-Aliassime in three meetings, reversing a pair of losses from 2022. It also marked Sinner’s 25th consecutive hard-court win, a run that places him among five men this century to reach 25 straight victories on the surface. That sequence spans the ATP Finals and the Australian Open.

“Today I felt great on court,” stated Sinner. “I think you saw that but every day is going to be different. Tomorrow is a day off, which is good for me. We will try and put some reps in and then see what I can do in the semis.”

The result in Cincinnati added another authoritative chapter to Sinner’s campaign. His overall streak and the match statistics underline how thoroughly he controlled this encounter, even as the season carries on. His record might read differently had he not missed the Indian Wells and Miami Masters in March, as he was serving a three-month ban for a failed drug test.

A compressed schedule in the lead-up to the US Open has created a practical dilemma for players who progress deep in Cincinnati. The expanded ATP Masters 1000 and WTA 1000 formats mean the Cincinnati tournament can finish on a Monday, leaving little time for finalists to join mixed doubles in New York when that event begins the following Wednesday.

Carlos Alcaraz is due to play alongside Emma Raducanu in the US Open mixed doubles, while Jannik Sinner is scheduled to compete with Emma Navarro. If the Cincinnati final becomes another Alcaraz vs Sinner epic on Monday, neither player may have the appetite to appear in mixed doubles the next day in New York. Rain delays at Cincinnati would add further complication and could decide whether either of the top two men compete in the mixed event.

Iga Swiatek is also progressing in Cincinnati and could face a quick turnaround if she continues her run. Coco Gauff was among those opting against playing in the lucrative mixed doubles event as she has prioritised her preparation for the US Open singles. The two-time Grand Slam winner revealed: “For me, it was just because I know the free week of the US Open is already packed for me, for sponsor things, and it was just like a whole other thing. And I’m very competitive; if I were to lose, I would not be happy,” “So, I didn’t want to waste mental energy on that.

“Then on top of the sponsor stuff, the pre-week, and then knowing that this finished on Monday and potentially having to play on Tuesday. Well, you would have to play on a Tuesday. So I just knew it wasn’t going to work out for me, scheduling-wise.

“It’s just that I plan my sponsor weeks literally like a year out, sometimes a year and a half out. And when this whole thing was coming up, I was already booked and busy.”

Barry Fulcher, the coach referenced in recent coverage, predicted many withdrawals and questioned the event’s standing. He said: “This exhibition event will be great fun, but it is not a Grand Slam and it shouldn’t be viewed as such,” “It’s not just about the prize money and more about removing a mixed doubles Grand Slam opportunity.” “My own personal view, it is all just posturing at the moment and I will be fascinated to see how many of those 16 pairings that were announced a few weeks ago will turn up and play.” “I’d be very, very surprised if a lot of those pairs end up taking to the court and the only reason they would release that list is to get everyone talking about it.” “It’s almost like they have put their names down, but there is no obligation to play.” “For me, the best doubles pairing on that list they released is Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori and it will be interesting to see if some doubles players who end up playing if the singles players drop out.” “I’m a fan of innovation and trying to bring new things into tennis, but I don’t agree with calling it a Grand Slam event.”

The eight teams in the field of the 2025 US Open Mixed Doubles Championship via direct entry are:

Emma Navarro and Jannik Sinner

Paula Badosa and Jack Draper

Iga Swiatek and Casper Ruud

Elena Rybakina and Taylor Fritz

Amanda Anisimova and Holger Rune

Belinda Bencic and Alexander Zverev

Jessica Pegula and Tommy Paul

Mirra Andreeva and Daniil Medvedev

In addition, six teams received wild cards into the field:

Emma Raducanu and Carlos Alcaraz

Madison Keys and Frances Tiafoe

Olga Danilovic and Novak Djokovic

Taylor Townsend and Ben Shelton

Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori

Venus Williams and Reilly Opelka

Thursday’s late-afternoon match on Grandstand at the Cincinnati Open pairs two contrasting threats: Ben Shelton, riding a surge of momentum, and Jiri Lehecka, the Czech with a habit of taking down top players.

Shelton arrives in Cincinnati as the world No. 6 and on an eight-match winning streak after capturing the biggest title of his career in Toronto last week. The American has won 15 of his last 17 matches and is one victory away from reaching the quarterfinals at back-to-back Masters 1000 events for the first time in his career. The match is scheduled to begin at an estimated 4:30 p.m. ET, Thursday, August 14.

Lehecka, ranked No. 26, brings proven scalps and the capacity to unsettle higher-ranked opponents. He owns eight career wins over Top 10 players, including three this season: victories over Grigor Dimitrov in Brisbane, Carlos Alcaraz in Doha and Jack Draper at Queen’s Club. Those results underline his ability to produce high-level tennis on different surfaces and against varied styles.

The players met once earlier this year in the Stuttgart quarterfinals, where Shelton prevailed 6-4, 6-4. That match was dominated by Shelton’s serve: 18 aces to three double faults, a spotless first-serve record (28/28), and the American never faced a break point or was pushed to deuce in 10 service games.

The matchup sets up as a clash between Shelton’s serving firepower and Lehecka’s track record against elite opponents. On paper, Shelton’s recent form and serving numbers make him a formidable favourite, but Lehecka’s history of Top-10 wins this year suggests he can produce the shots and momentum swings necessary to alter the script. The outcome will likely hinge on whether Lehecka can disrupt Shelton’s serve and whether Shelton can sustain the serving level that decided their previous meeting.