Sinner eases into Monte Carlo semi-finals / Photo: Thibaud MORITZ - AFP
Sinner eases into Monte Carlo semi-finals
Jannik Sinner brushed aside Felix Auger-Aliassime in straight sets on Friday to set up a Monte Carlo Masters semi-final against Alexander Zverev.
The Italian extended his winning run at Masters 1000 events to 20 matches by seeing off his Canadian opponent 6-3, 6-4.
Sinner has never won one of the elite tournaments on clay but will be a strong favourite when he plays Zverev, who edged out Brazilian teenager Joao Fonseca, after winning their last seven meetings.
The world number two, who completed the 'Sunshine double' with wins at Indian Wells and the Miami Open, in still on track for a possible first clash of the year with Carlos Alcaraz in the final.
Sinner dropped just seven points on serve in a dominant opening set which he took courtesy of a break in the sixth game.
The four-time Grand Slam champion also powered through the second set, wrapping up his fifth consecutive win over seventh-ranked Auger-Aliassime.
World number three Zverev sealed a battling 7-5, 6-7 (3/7), 6-3 victory over Fonseca to reach the semi-finals in Monaco for the third time.
Zverev is targeting his first ATP title since winning in Munich 12 months ago.
The German could also complete a career sweep of the clay-court Masters 1000 events, having previously won both the Italian Open and Madrid Open twice.
Big-hitting 19-year-old Fonseca was playing in his first Masters quarter-final but pushed his opponent for long periods.
Three-time Grand Slam runner-up Zverev broke in the 11th game and then served out the opening set to love, before breaking again at the start of the second.
Fonseca reeled off four straight games from 3-1 down to tee up the chance to serve for the set, but he failed to take the opportunity.
The world number 40 found his rhythm in the tie-break, though, reeling off a string of magnificent groundstrokes to force a decider.
But Fonseca could not maintain that level as Zverev improved.
The 28-year-old broke in the sixth game and confidently served out victory, reaching his third straight Masters 1000 semi-final this year.
Later on Friday, world number one and reigning champion Alcaraz takes on Alexander Bublik, before Alex de Minaur plays Valentin Vacherot.
J.Espin--GM
