NEW YORK – Jannik Sinner eliminated his biggest challenger for the US Open title on Wednesday night, defeating Daniil Medvedev 6-2, 1-6, 6-1, 6-4.

This was only a quarter-final, but the world No. 1 and 5 were the only two major champions still in contention. None of the other three semi-finalists have ever reached a major final; none of them are in the top 10 in the world rankings.

With Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz unable to play, Sinner seized his chance to move closer to his second Grand Slam title on Sunday in the absence of his two biggest rivals. He started weakly in his first match of the tournament, trailing world No. 140 Mackenzie McDonald by a set and a break, still looking distracted by the anti-doping decision against him announced a week before the tournament.

Since then, it was all about the end for the world number one, who overcame a slip-up in the second set and defeated Medvedev in a changeable match.

Before the match, the head-to-head between the two players followed a strange pattern. Medvedev, a finalist here last year and champion in 2021, won the first six meetings. Sinner then won the next five before Medvedev re-established himself with a win at Wimbledon in July. That match went to five sets, as did their final at the Australian Open in January, so everyone on Arthur Ashe Stadium was bracing for a long match. These two know each other’s game very well.

Jannik Sinner meets Jack Draper in the semifinals. (Al Bello / Getty Images)

In that Wimbledon meeting, Sinner had been dragged around the court by Medvedev in a battered condition, reminiscent of some of those early clashes. Determined to avoid the same thing happening to him on Wednesday, he played with great determination, almost going down in the first game. Medvedev likes to entangle his players in his web of mixed speeds and spin, but Sinner is so quick and has such firepower that he could end rallies before his opponent could bend them to his will.

At the same time, Medvedev knew he had to try to take the lead, as he did in Australia when he won the first two sets. Aggressive play comes with risks, and the Russian was caught out by errors when he tried to get too close to the lines. Sinner broke for 2-1, and he made Medvedev uncomfortable in most of his service games in the first set. After fending off a few break points on his own serve, Sinner broke again and then served out.

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In between, the pair produced some brilliant tennis. Medvedev won a 24-stroke rally in the fifth game, but was outclassed by Sinner’s incredible speed and defensive skills on the next point. Both men forced the other to hit even harder, and the crowd gasped as Medvedev sprinted after a drop shot and pulled away with a backhand winner on his next shot.

Sinner had a break point in the first game of the second set but was unable to capitalize. Instead, Medvedev got a break point himself in the next game and, after winning two more close games, was suddenly 4-0 up.

Medvedev had won the turnaround by playing closer to the baseline and winning the crowd over with some brave drive volleys. When Sinner tried to exploit Medvedev’s deep return position with a serve-and-volley and then a drop shot, the Russian adjusted and stepped forward to close those angles.

Despite having match or break points in four of five games, Sinner was trailing 5-0. A few games later, the score was 1-1 after the first two sets had flown by in 75 minutes. The match was played at a breathtaking pace and the question was who would let up.

Daniil Medvedev regularly faces Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic at Grand Slams. (Kena Betancur / AFP via Getty Images)

Medvedev was the one who faltered in Melbourne after a grueling run to the final, but this time he didn’t have as many miles in his legs. Sinner hasn’t been challenged much so far in the tournament either, but he has been battling a hip injury since April. Medvedev moved him from side to side as often as possible, surely aware that Sinner’s five-set record of six wins and nine losses is a blemish on his game.

Sinner knew this too and tried to shorten the points at the start of the third set. He came to the net five times in the first few games, won every point and immediately broke for 3-0. Medvedev was suddenly under pressure and his concentration dropped. Sinner fought his way through the set and lost only one game. Medvedev had suffered break points in nine of his eleven service games at this point in the match.

After three one-sided sets, a close contest broke out in the fourth set, in which Medvedev again raised his level. In the second game, Medvedev hit a forehand shot into the open court, which Sinner answered with a backhand half-volley from near the baseline, underlining the astonishing level of these two players in top form. Medvedev even had break points at 3-2, but was unable to convert them. Instead, Sinner managed a break in the next game, and that was it.

Given what was at stake, this has to go down as Sinner’s best, or at least most significant, performance since he beat the same opponent in the Australian Open final eight months ago. It wasn’t a perfect performance, but the way Sinner acted in the closing stages after the win, rather than waiting for Medvedev to make mistakes, showed why he is the world No. 1.

For Medvedev, this will be another tough loss to deal with as he consistently faces one of the three better players at Grand Slams. It is the fifth time in six majors that he has been beaten by Sinner, Alcaraz or Djokovic.

In the previous four of these encounters, the man who beat Medvedev ended up winning the title. Sinner will not take anything for granted in a tournament that is full of upsets, but he will be a heavy favorite against his good friend and current doubles partner Jack Draper on Friday, and in the final on Sunday if he makes it that far.

Without Djokovic and Alcaraz, this is a golden opportunity for the Italian to win his second Grand Slam title.

(Top photo: Kena Betancur / AFP via Getty Images)