NEW YORK (AP) — Top-ranked Jannik Sinner used an aggressive, net-rushing style to reach the U.S. Open semifinals for the first time by getting past 2021 champion Daniil Medvedev 6-2, 1-6, 6-1, 6-4 on Wednesday night.
Sinner — a 23-year-old from Italy who was cleared in a doping case less than a week before the U.S. Open started after testing positive twice for trace amounts of an anabolic steroid in March — will go up against No. 25 Jack Draper of Britain on Friday for a berth in the title match.
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Daniil Medvedev, of Russia, follows through on a shot, which fails to clear the net, during his match against Jannik Sinner, of Italy, during the quarterfinals of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
Daniil Medvedev, of Russia, follows through on a shot, which fails to clear the net, during his match against Jannik Sinner, of Italy, during the quarterfinals of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
Jannik Sinner, of Italy, launches a ball after defeating Daniil Medvedev, of Russia, during the quarterfinals of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
Jannik Sinner, of Italy, left, shakes hands after defeating Daniil Medvedev, of Russia, during the quarterfinals of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
Jannik Sinner, of Italy, acknowledges the crowd after defeating Daniil Medvedev, of Russia, during the quarterfinals of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
Daniil Medvedev, of Russia, reacts after losing a point to Jannik Sinner, of Italy, during the quarterfinals of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Eduardo Munoz Alvarez)
Daniil Medvedev, of Russia, returns to Jannik Sinner, of Italy, during the quarterfinals of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Eduardo Munoz Alvarez)
Jannik Sinner, of Italy, returns against Daniil Medvedev, of Russia, during the quarterfinals of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
Daniil Medvedev, of Russia, chases the ball on a return to Jannik Sinner, of Italy, during the quarterfinals of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
Jannik Sinner, of Italy, returns to Daniil Medvedev, of Russia, during the quarterfinals of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
Jannik Sinner, of Italy, pumps his fist after winning a point against Daniil Medvedev, of Russia, during the quarterfinals of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
Daniil Medvedev, of Russia, wipes his face during his match against Jannik Sinner, of Italy, during the quarterfinals of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Eduardo Munoz Alvarez)
Daniil Medvedev, of Russia, leaps over the player's bench on a return against Jannik Sinner, of Italy, during the quarterfinals of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
Jannik Sinner, of Italy, pumps his fist after winning a point against Daniil Medvedev, of Russia, during the quarterfinals of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
After Week 1 exits by Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz, Sinner took over as the title favorite and now is the only man remaining in the field with a Grand Slam trophy. He won his first at the Australian Open in January by beating Medvedev in the final in five sets after dropping the first two.
As reflected by the accurate-as-can-be score, this matchup was unusually topsy-turvy as they took turns dominating a set at a time.
First, it was Sinner who was superior. Then that role was played Medvedev, the runner-up at Flushing Meadows to Djokovic last year and to Rafael Nadal in 2019. Then Sinner regained the upper hand in the third. In the fourth, from 3-all, Sinner surged, saving a pair of break points, then breaking Medvedev to lead 5-3.
“We know each other quite well. ... We knew it was going to be very physical," said Sinner, who lost to Medvedev in five sets at Wimbledon in July. "It was strange the first two sets, because whoever made the first break then started to roll.”
The key: Sinner won the point on 28 of his 33 trips to the net, including 9 of 11 on serve-and-volley approaches.
“We tried to work really hard on this aspect of the game,” Sinner said. “Trying just to mix up the game.”
Medvedev was particularly uneven. He only had one fewer winner than Sinner but finished with 19 more unforced errors.
Friday's other semifinal will be No. 12 Taylor Fritz vs. No. 20 Frances Tiafoe in the first all-American men's matchup at this stage at a major in 19 years.
The women's semifinals Thursday night are Jessica Pegula vs. Karolina Muchova, and Aryna Sabalenka vs. Emma Navarro. Pegula eliminated No. 1 Iga Swiatek 6-2, 6-4 on Wednesday.
The 22-year-old Draper reached his first Grand Slam semifinal — and became the first British man to get that far at the U.S. Open since Andy Murray won the 2012 trophy — by overwhelming No. 10 Alex de Minaur 6-3, 7-5, 6-2.
Draper has won all 15 sets he's played so far, but things figure to get tougher against Sinner.
“This is not kind of like an overnight thing for me. I’ve believed for a long time that I’ve been putting in the work and doing the right things, and I knew that my time would come,” said Draper, whose upper right leg was taped by a trainer after he felt something at the end of the first set. “I didn’t know when it would be, but hopefully from here, I can do a lot of amazing things. I’m very proud of myself.”
AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis
Daniil Medvedev, of Russia, follows through on a shot, which fails to clear the net, during his match against Jannik Sinner, of Italy, during the quarterfinals of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
Jannik Sinner, of Italy, launches a ball after defeating Daniil Medvedev, of Russia, during the quarterfinals of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
Jannik Sinner, of Italy, left, shakes hands after defeating Daniil Medvedev, of Russia, during the quarterfinals of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
Jannik Sinner, of Italy, acknowledges the crowd after defeating Daniil Medvedev, of Russia, during the quarterfinals of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
Daniil Medvedev, of Russia, reacts after losing a point to Jannik Sinner, of Italy, during the quarterfinals of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Eduardo Munoz Alvarez)
Daniil Medvedev, of Russia, returns to Jannik Sinner, of Italy, during the quarterfinals of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Eduardo Munoz Alvarez)
Jannik Sinner, of Italy, returns against Daniil Medvedev, of Russia, during the quarterfinals of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
Daniil Medvedev, of Russia, chases the ball on a return to Jannik Sinner, of Italy, during the quarterfinals of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
Jannik Sinner, of Italy, returns to Daniil Medvedev, of Russia, during the quarterfinals of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
Jannik Sinner, of Italy, pumps his fist after winning a point against Daniil Medvedev, of Russia, during the quarterfinals of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
Daniil Medvedev, of Russia, wipes his face during his match against Jannik Sinner, of Italy, during the quarterfinals of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Eduardo Munoz Alvarez)
Daniil Medvedev, of Russia, leaps over the player's bench on a return against Jannik Sinner, of Italy, during the quarterfinals of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
Jannik Sinner, of Italy, pumps his fist after winning a point against Daniil Medvedev, of Russia, during the quarterfinals of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
MANCHESTER, England (AP) — Dominic Solanke scored twice as Tottenham thrashed Aston Villa 4-1 in the Premier League on Sunday.
The forward struck two goals in the space of four second-half minutes at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium after Villa had led at the break.
Solanke scored in the 75th and 79th as Spurs produced a stunning second-half performance to follow up its victory against Manchester City in the League Cup on Wednesday.
Morgan Rogers had given Champions League-chasing Villa the lead in the 32nd minute, but Brennan Johnson leveled the game four minutes after the break.
Solanke's double put Spurs 3-1 ahead and James Maddison curled a free kick into the top corner in the sixth minute of added time. Solanke is now on five goals for the season.
Tottenham is up to seventh in the standings, while fifth-place Villa missed out on the chance to move into the top three.
AFC Wimbledon beat MK Dons 2-0 in the first round of the FA Cup and took bragging rights in one of English soccer’s fiercest grudge matches.
Matty Stevens and Omar Bugiel scored either side of halftime at Stadium MK in a competition that holds deep ties for fans of both clubs.
Wimbledon was a shock winner of the Cup in 1988 when beating the mighty Liverpool 1-0. The team relocated to Milton Keynes in 2002 and was renamed MK Dons, which prompted disgruntled fans to create a phoenix club called AFC Wimbledon.
And it was the traveling AFC Wimbledon fans who were left celebrating Sunday after securing its place in the next round of the Cup.
James Robson is at https://twitter.com/jamesalanrobson
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
Tottenham's James Maddison, right, celebrates with teammates after scoring his side's fourth goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Tottenham Hotspur and Aston Villa at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, Sunday, Nov. 3, 2024. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
Tottenham's team players celebrate after James Maddison scored his side's fourth goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Tottenham Hotspur and Aston Villa at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, Sunday, Nov. 3, 2024. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
Tottenham's Dominic Solanke, right, celebrates after scoring his side's third goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Tottenham Hotspur and Aston Villa at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, Sunday, Nov. 3, 2024. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
Tottenham's Dominic Solanke, right, celebrates with Brennan Johnson after scoring his side's second goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Tottenham Hotspur and Aston Villa at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, Sunday, Nov. 3, 2024. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)