Jannik Sinner swats aside Ben Shelton to book place in Australian Open final
Jannik Sinner swats aside Ben Shelton to book place in Australian Open final
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An hour into one of the greatest occasions of his young tennis career, Ben Shelton was soaring. As he faced the daunting challenge of Jannik Sinner, Shelton frustrated the best player in the world early on with his potent forehand, athleticism and variety of shot. Up set point and 6-5 on his serve, Shelton was well positioned to take a surprise early lead on Rod Laver Arena.
![[Ben Shelton reacts during his semi-final match against Jannik Sinner at the Australian Open.]](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/696b3ce7663171edf973c545ff66f1761de413bf/0_179_6577_3947/master/6577.jpg?width=445&dpr=1&s=none&crop=none)
While Sinner’s mental toughness used to be considered a flaw, one of the qualities obstructing him from finally winning the biggest titles, today few players tackle these important moments with such composure and consistency. From set point down, Sinner spectacularly elevated his level, turning the first set around before marching to another supreme victory on a court that is becoming his fortress.
After coolly navigating the early adversity, Sinner moved into his second Australian Open final with a commanding 7-6 (2), 6-2, 6-2 victory over the 21st seed Shelton. Sinner, the defending champion and No 1 seed, will face the second seed Alexander Zverev in the final on Sunday as he attempts to consolidate his dominance on hard courts with his second Australian Open title.
Sinner’s victory means he is the youngest man to reach two Australian Open finals since Jim Courier, his on-court interviewer after the match, in 1993. Sinner has also won 20 consecutive matches, a run that includes titles at the Shanghai Masters, ATP Finals and the Davis Cup. Sinner, who is now a dazzling 52-3 on hard courts since the beginning of 2024 and 20-0 at hard court grand slam tournaments during this period, will now also try to win his third consecutive hard court grand slam.
