US Open: Sinner Advances to Third Round with Convincing Win
Defending champion Jannik Sinner advances to the third round of the US Open with a convincing win over Alexei Popyrin.
“Today it felt like neither of us served well but I was returning well, especially on the second serve...”
Defending champion Jannik Sinner cruised past Australian Alexei Popyrin with a convincing 6-3, 6-2, 6-2 win, advancing to the third round of the US Open. Sinner's dominant performance sends a strong message to his title rivals in New York.
The world number one has now won 23 consecutive matches at hard court Grand Slams, improving his overall record to 41-9. This achievement matches Roger Federer's mark in his first 50 matches on the surface at major tournaments. Sinner's consistency and skill have made him a formidable opponent, and he's looking to become the first man to retain the trophy at Flushing Meadows since Federer in 2008.
Art Donaldson is up and running at the US Open. pic.twitter.com/hNqwJGKLya
— US Open Tennis (@usopen) August 28, 2025
“Obviously, I try to play the best tennis I can,” said Sinner, who plays Canadian 27th seed Denis Shapovalov in the next round.
“The first round matches are always different compared to the further you go (in the tournament). I'm very happy that I managed these matches as good as I could, when you are up two sets and a break, you try to serve as best as you can.
“Today it felt like neither of us served well but I was returning well, especially on the second serve. I'm happy about today, I'm aiming to improve on the serve but the rest (of my game), I'm quite comfortable with.”
Popyrin, who arrived at Arthur Ashe Stadium hoping to knock out the holder for a second successive year after toppling Novak Djokovic 12 months ago, landed in a world of trouble early on when Sinner forged a 4-1 lead with a reflexive return.
Popyrin's win over Sinner in their only previous meeting at the 2021 Madrid Open began to look increasingly irrelevant when he fell behind in the third, before his opponent put him out of his misery with a thunderous ace.
Jannik Sinner, the top seed, secured an early break when Popyrin's racket forced an error, setting the tone for the match. Despite some resistance from Popyrin in the sixth game, Sinner skillfully wrapped up the set with a soft drop shot at the net on set point.
Popyrin's previous win over Sinner at the 2021 Madrid Open lost significance as Sinner dominated the match. When Popyrin fell behind in the third set, Sinner sealed the win with a powerful ace, showcasing his skill and control.
Sinner, typically low-key, is focused on matching Carlos Alcaraz's five Grand Slam titles. With a day off ahead, he's looking forward to indulging in Italian cuisine at one of his favorite restaurants.
“I'm not superstitious,” Sinner said.
“I know some good Italian places here and I have three or four restaurants that we switch between. New York provides great restaurants and the people are very nice.
“Thank you again for the support and we'll see how it goes in the next round.”
Jannik Sinner aces the Popyrin test in straights! 💯 pic.twitter.com/hrXX019h6v
— US Open Tennis (@usopen) August 28, 2025
What's Next for Sinner?
After this dominant win, Sinner's next challenge will be a test of his skills and endurance. With top players like Daniil Medvedev, Frances Tiafoe, and Alexander Zverev still in the competition, Sinner will need to maintain his form to succeed. Notably, Novak Djokovic, a strong contender, was eliminated by Alexei Popyrin in a surprising upset earlier in the tournament.
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