Flawless Jannik Sinner powers past Alexei Popyrin in a US Open masterclass

Jannik Sinner delivered another tremendous tennis performance at the US Open, defeating Australia's Alexei Popyrin in straight sets, 6-3, 6-2, 6-3, to secure his spot in the third round. The world No. 1 had no trouble with a tough opponent, once again not conceding his serve throughout the entire match. He also got revenge for his only previous encounter with Popyrin, which the Australian had won back at the 2021 Madrid Open.

This time, the reality is very different for both players, especially for Sinner, who has shown why he is the main title contender. The defending champion didn't need to play his best tennis to get past an erratic Popyrin, taking just two hours to secure his spot in the Round of 32. His next opponent will be Denis Shapovalov (27th), who defeated Valentin Royer in four sets.

The Italian remains one of the most consistent players on serve over the last couple of seasons, and once again, he was impressive. He appeared more focused than his opponent from the start and got a quick break on his first chance, taking a 3-0 lead with great service games. Sinner even had the opportunity to extend his lead further, with several other break opportunities in the fourth game, but he couldn't convert them.

Popyrin managed to save a tricky service game, which gave him a boost on his serve and helped him get more into the rhythm of the match. While he was able to hold his next service games without major issues, he couldn't do much on the return. Sinner took the first set 6-3, winning 81% of his first-serve points compared to Popyrin's 69%.

In the second set, Sinner's first-serve percentage dropped considerably, reaching only 38% for the entire set. However, his second serve was equally effective, and he didn't face many problems. The three-time major champion took advantage of his opponent's lack of focus at the start and got an early break that gave him the lead.

When the score was 3-2 in favor of Sinner, Popyrin got his first break opportunities after 70 minutes. The defending champion defended them without any trouble and managed to get through the only complicated moment he had on his serve. After saving four break points, Sinner got a double break in the next game, and a few minutes later, he closed out the set with a convincing 6-2.

Coming back from two sets down against Sinner seemed nearly impossible for the world No. 36, but he continued his efforts to challenge the Italian. Popyrin got two more break opportunities at the start of the set, but again failed to convert them. Immediately in the third game, Sinner responded with a break at love, putting him on the path to a victory that seemed decided.

The final minutes of the match seemed to lose their rhythm, with few rallies and a Sinner who didn't let up on his serve. Popyrin looked more and more defeated by his opponent's high level of play, as Sinner held on with excellent service games. A double fault from Popyrin gave Sinner the chance for a double break, and the Italian didn't waste it, guaranteeing he would serve for the match. Of course, the Italian didn't fail and closed out the victory with an ace for a 6-3, 6-2, 6-3 win, another display of high-level tennis. He will face Canadian Denis Shapovalov in the third round. They have only one previous match against each other, back at the 2021 Australian Open, which the Canadian won in five sets.