Semi-finals: Sinner stops ailing Zverev

Jannik Sinner was almost apologetic after his 6-0, 6-1, 62-minute victory. He signed the courtside camera with the message “Get well soon” and drew a little heart. He was delighted to be through to the final but he was sorry for his beaten foe.

“Obviously I am happy to be in the final but it’s not how you want to arrive,” Sinner said, “because playing against Sascha, it’s always a very special occasion, playing in a packed stadium. Today he was clearly not 100 per cent. We saw that he was struggling physically. He had a very tight schedule in the past month. We all hope that he gets better and is fit for Turin. But from my side, I’m also very happy to be in the final.

All the talk before the semi-final had been about how Sinner was feeling at the end of a long season and he admitted to not being “fresh, fresh”. But from the very start of the match, it was clear that it was Zverev who was in trouble. He looked shattered – and the telling fact was that he was always the second to take his place on the baseline.

After the change of ends, he is normally up and pacing around impatiently long before his opponent. Not on Saturday. He was getting all the rest he was allowed. In that sort of state, Sinner was the last man he wanted to face.

Ruthless Sinner

The world No.2 is a polite and quietly spoken man but he is an assassin on the match court. He sized up Zverev in the opening game and broke him. Spotting his rival was leaden-footed and weary, he moved Zverev around. He brought him in with drop shots and then sent his scampering back with lobs; he clattered his forehand and he shredded the German’s defence and broke his spirit.

Even when Zverev held serve at the start of the second set, everyone could sense the game was up. The German asked for the doctor, who duly appeared at the change of ends, and said that his ankle was swollen. It was a legacy of his three-set marathon with Daniil Medvedev the previous night but, no, he did not want any treatment. He slowly trudged back to the baseline and took the punishment that he knew was coming to him. Sinner broke for the sixth time to take his indoor hard court winning streak to 25 matches.