World No. 1 Jannik Sinner Overcomes Injury to Reach First U.S. Open Final, Awaits All-American Showdown Winner

In a gripping U.S. Open semifinal, one player struggled with a left wrist injury, while the other fought through a stomach issue that saw him vomit multiple times on court. Both were treated by trainers during the second set, but in the end, World No. 1 Jannik Sinner powered through to defeat No. 25 Jack Draper of Great Britain, 7-5, 7-6, 6-2, and secure his spot in his first U.S. Open final. Sinner will face the winner of the all-American semifinal between No. 12 Taylor Fritz and No. 20 Frances Tiafoe in Sunday’s championship match.

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"I'm just happy to be in the final here," Sinner told James Blake post-match. "Whoever it is, it’s going to be a tough challenge, but I’m looking forward to it. The season has been very positive."

The 23-year-old Italian is chasing his second Grand Slam title after claiming the Australian Open in January. He is the first man born after 1988 to reach the semifinals of all four majors and remains the favorite to win the U.S. Open, with No. 2 Novak Djokovic and No. 3 Carlos Alcaraz already eliminated from the tournament.

The match’s dramatic turn came in the second set when Draper, visibly ill from the New York humidity, vomited several times on court. As Draper served at 4-all, Sinner injured his wrist chasing an overhead but still managed to make a remarkable forehand pass that energized the crowd. Despite the injury, Sinner closed out the second set in a tiebreak with a 115-mph serve. Draper, suffering from stomach issues, even requested a Coca-Cola during the third set to settle his stomach.

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ESPN commentator James Blake remarked that Draper looked "like a zombie" on court, but the British left-hander, in his first major semifinal, impressed with his resilience, finishing with eight aces and 10 double faults. Sinner, meanwhile, delivered 11 aces and just one double fault.

Sinner praised Draper after the match, saying, "Jack’s a good friend, and it was a very physical match. I just tried to stay there mentally. He’s a tough competitor." Draper echoed the sentiment, crediting Sinner as an inspiration and highlighting their close friendship, which even saw them team up in doubles play at the Canadian Open.

Sinner's run to the final also comes after he was cleared of a doping controversy earlier in the year. The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) exonerated Sinner after trace amounts of a banned substance were found in his system, which he attributed to contamination.

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As Sinner prepares for Sunday’s final, he remains the favorite to add a second major title to his growing legacy.