"It wasn't easy today, it was very windy": Jannik Sinner highlights overcoming 'very difficult' conditions to cement spot in Cincinnati Open semifinal

World number one Jannik Sinner has revealed that he had to deal with ‘very difficult’ conditions to book his place in the semifinal of the Cincinnati Open. The 23-year-old is already regarded as one of the best men’s tennis players in the singles category, along with Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz and Serbia’s Novak Djokovic.

Sinner is currently participating in the Cincinnati Open, where he booked his place in the semifinal after beating Russia’s Andrey Rublev in the last-eight clash with a score of 4-6, 7-5, 6-4. The win was important for the reigning world number, as he also exited the Canadian Open after losing to the same player in the quarterfinals.

Talking after the match, Sinner highlighted how he had to deal with ‘very difficult’ conditions in Cincinnati to secure the win. He also stated that he had to be patient and wait for his opportunity to get the better of the Russian tennis star in the contest.

"Today it took a lot of mental strength,” he said. “The conditions were very difficult, very windy. In the first set he started very well and I didn't play my best tennis, but in the second I felt I had a lot of possibilities. I waited for my chance. I'm very happy to have reached the semifinals. It wasn't easy today, it was very windy. I was down a set, then I had my chances and at the beginning I didn't take them. I'm happy with the reaction I had.”

Sinner will now face Germany’s Alexander Zverev in the last-four competition clash on Sunday. The 27-year-old booked his place in the semifinal after beating America’s Ben Shelton in the last-eight clash with a score of 3-6, 7-6, 7-5. It will be the sixth meeting between the two players at the highest level. In the previous five meetings, Zverev had a clear edge with four wins and suffered just one defeat. However, this will be when the two will face off in nearly 12 months, as their last meeting was during the US Open in 2023.