NEW YORK (AP) — Top-seeded Jannik Sinner reached the U.S. Open semifinals for the first time by defeating 2021 champion Daniil Medvedev 6-2, 1-6, 6-1, 6-4 on Wednesday night.

Sinner, who emerged as title favorite after the Week 1 exits of Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz, is the only man in the field who still owns a Grand Slam title, winning his first at the Australian Open in January by beating Medvedev in the final in five sets after losing the first two.

As the result, which was as precise as possible, shows, this duel was unusually turbulent, with the two taking turns to dominate one set after another. At first, Sinner was the dominant one. Then Medvedev took over that role. Then Sinner regained the upper hand in the third set. In the fourth set, at 3:3, Sinner followed on, fending off two break points and then breaking Medvedev to take a 5:3 lead.

Sinner – a 23-year-old Italian who was cleared of a doping case less than a week before the start of the US Open after testing positive twice for traces of an anabolic steroid in March – will face Briton (No. 25) Jack Draper on Friday for a place in the title match.

The day’s other semifinal will be between No. 12 Taylor Fritz and No. 20 Frances Tiafoe, the first all-American men’s matchup at a major in 19 years.

The women’s semifinals on Thursday evening are Jessica Pegula against Karolina Muchova and Aryna Sabalenka against Emma Navarro. Pegula eliminated No. 1 Iga Swiatek 6-2, 6-4 on Wednesday.

Draper, 22, reached his first Grand Slam semi-final – and became the first Briton to get that far at Flushing Meadows since Andy Murray won the trophy in 2012 – by overwhelming No. 10 seed Alex de Minaur 6-3, 7-5, 6-2.

Draper has won all 15 sets he has played so far, but it will be more difficult against Sinner.

“This isn’t something that happens overnight for me. I believed for a long time that I did the work and did the right things and I knew my time would come,” said Draper, whose right thigh was taped by a trainer after feeling something at the end of the first set. “I didn’t know when it would be, but hopefully I can do a lot of great things from here. I’m very proud of myself.”

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AP Tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis