Defending champion Jannik Sinner was made to work hard in his third-round clash at the US Open, coming from a set down to beat Canada’s Denis Shapovalov 5-7, 6-4, 6-3, 6-3 and secure his place in the last 16 at Flushing Meadows.

A Rare Off-Day for Sinner

The world number one had breezed through his first two matches, dropping just 11 games, but looked out of rhythm against Shapovalov. His first-serve percentage dipped to 58%, and he finished with 36 unforced errors and five double faults.

Shapovalov, seeded 27th, took full advantage early, breaking Sinner in the first set and serving with confidence to take the opener 7-5. The Italian admitted afterwards: “I’m not a machine, you know. I also struggle sometimes.”

Turning Point in the Third Set

After levelling the match in the second set, Sinner faced a crucial moment in the third when he saved a break point to avoid going two breaks down. From there, momentum shifted decisively — he won 12 of the next 15 games, taking control as Shapovalov faltered with five double faults.

Sinner wrapped up the contest in just over three hours, sealing victory with a composed fourth set despite the Canadian’s late resistance.

What’s Next

The four-time Grand Slam champion has now reached the final of every major in 2025 and continues his strong title defence in New York. He will next face either 14th seed Tommy Paul or 23rd seed Alexander Bublik in the round of 16.

“I’m very happy to win today because it was a very important match,” Sinner said, adding that the key was staying mentally strong despite struggling with rhythm.

Source: BBC Sport | Image Source: Getty | Image Credit: Respective Owner