Jannik Sinner eases past De Minaur into Vienna Open final

Vienna: Top seed Jannik Sinner crushed Alex de Minaur 6-3, 6-4 on Saturday to reach the Vienna Open final for the second time, extending his remarkable streak to 20 consecutive wins on indoor hardcourts.

The Italian’s dominant victory -- his 50th over a fellow top-10 player -- moved him into his eighth final of the season, where he awaits the winner of the other semifinal between Alexander Zverev and Lorenzo Musetti.

A Vienna champion in 2023, Sinner came out of the blocks like a man possessed, racing through the opening four games and breaking twice to establish a commanding 4-0 lead in 15 minutes.

Third seed De Minaur managed to win only four points during that blistering start before the Australian finally got on the scoreboard by breaking the top seed.

As the crowd roared its appreciation for the underdog, Sinner seemed to take his foot off the gas, briefly opening the door for De Minaur to mount a comeback.

But any hopes of a revival were dashed at 5-3 when the Italian unleashed a searing forehand past De Minaur, who could only bow his head in disappointment at the end of a long rally, before Sinner wrapped up the opening set.

De Minaur showed more fight in the second set as the pair traded breaks, but Sinner’s power and precision proved too much as he broke again to lead 4-3, with the Australian having no answer to the top seed’s relentless pressure.

The writing was on the wall when De Minaur sat stone-faced on his chair during a changeover at 5-4, and Sinner duly served to love to clinch the contest as he extended his perfect record to 12-0 over the Australian. Agencies

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