WIMBLEDON – Men’s Singles
By Leo Canaparo Director TENNIS7.NET
Jannik Sinner arrived on Court No. 1 with the calm poise of a world No. 1 — and left it with a place in the Wimbledon semifinals once again secured. In a confident display of power and control, the Italian defeated 10th-seeded American Ben Shelton 7-6(2), 6-4, 6-4 in just over two hours (2h19m), advancing to the final four of the All England Club for the second time in his young but increasingly storied career.
Awaiting him now is a monumental clash with Novak Djokovic, the seven-time Wimbledon champion, who earlier dispatched Sinner’s compatriot Flavio Cobolli in four sets.
But Sinner’s preparation for this quarterfinal was anything but ideal. Just days ago, during his fourth-round encounter with Grigor Dimitrov, Sinner took a nasty fall that left him nursing a sore right elbow — a concern that cast doubt over his physical readiness for this crucial showdown. On Tuesday, his only practice was a short and gentle indoor session on a hard court, and it raised more questions than answers.
“Yesterday, I hit for 20 minutes — no serves, not at 100%,” Sinner revealed candidly in his post-match press conference. “But I always try to put myself in a position where I can at least go out there and give it a shot.”
And what a shot it was. From the opening games, Sinner looked mentally dialed in. His timing was crisp, his movement assured, and his forehand — that trademark weapon — struck with depth and authority. Most importantly, his elbow held up under pressure.
“I told myself yesterday that I was going to play, no matter what,” Sinner said. “So I mentally prepared to compete, and that made a huge difference. I actually felt really good during the warm-up, and I ended up performing at a very high level. I’m really happy with the result.”
There was a maturity in Sinner’s game that belied his age. In moments where Shelton pushed and rallied the crowd with his explosive shot-making, Sinner remained unshaken — returning with precision, controlling the tempo, and never allowing the match to slip into chaos. His serve was steady, his footwork light, and his shot selection sharp.
Now, a towering challenge awaits in the form of Djokovic, one of the sport’s greatest champions. But if Sinner’s performance against Shelton is any indication, the Italian No. 1 is ready — physically, tactically, and mentally — to take the next step on grass.
And at Wimbledon, that’s what separates the contenders from the champions.