Jannik Sinner continues to dazzle the tennis world, and on September 4, 2025, he delivered yet another masterclass at the US Open, dispatching fellow Italian Lorenzo Musetti 6-1, 6-4, 6-2 in just two hours. With this emphatic quarter-final victory, Sinner, still only 23 years old, extended his hard-court Grand Slam winning streak to 26 matches, equaling Novak Djokovic’s impressive run from 2015-2016. The defending champion is now just one win away from matching Djokovic’s best-ever mark and inching closer to Roger Federer’s all-time record of 40 consecutive hard-court wins.
Sinner’s relentless march through the 2025 season has been nothing short of historic. With his win over Musetti, Sinner has now played every Grand Slam final this year, totaling 26 Grand Slam matches—a feat achieved by only five other players in the sport’s storied history: Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, Mats Wilander, and Rod Laver. That’s elite company, and Sinner’s consistency and dominance have become the talk of the tennis world.
From the very first point against Musetti, Sinner was on the front foot, taking control of rallies and never letting his compatriot settle. The match became so one-sided that even the usually electric Arthur Ashe Stadium crowd found other ways to entertain themselves during changeovers, with actor John Turturro even hopping behind the camera for a brief cameo. But Sinner’s focus never wavered. His intensity and precision were reminiscent of his earlier matches, notably against Alexander Bublik, who famously called Sinner an “AI-like player” for his clinical efficiency.
The numbers tell the story: Sinner won five straight sets in the tournament, leaving Musetti searching for answers. After the match, Musetti was candid about the challenge he faced, saying, “A lot of things changed from our last meeting. We grew up, but of course him, he became probably the... I never played, honestly, someone who put me on this kind of rush in the rally, and I didn’t have many chances on the rally, and he was always leading the rally. So that was kind of a bad feeling, of course, when I was playing against him. Of course, pretty impressed by Jannik’s performance today. I think he served really well, and he was pushing me to my limit. Of course, he’s better than me, and he showed. But I’m happy that I played against him to understand even the things that I have to improve. So hopefully soon I can have a test again.”
With this win, Sinner has now reached his fourth Grand Slam semi-final of 2025, making him the youngest man to do so since Rafael Nadal in 2008. Even more impressively, he’s the youngest man to reach all four Grand Slam semi-finals in the same year as World No. 1—an achievement only three others have managed in the Open Era.
But the journey is far from over. In Friday’s semi-finals, Sinner will face a formidable opponent in Felix Auger-Aliassime. The Canadian has shown remarkable grit throughout the tournament, most recently staging a dramatic comeback to defeat Alex de Minaur in four hours and ten minutes. Auger-Aliassime, who knocked out third seed Alexander Zverev in the third round, rallied from a set and a break down to win 4-6, 7-6(7), 7-5, 7-6(4), earning his second career US Open semi-final appearance. The head-to-head between Sinner and Auger-Aliassime currently stands at 2-1 in favor of the Canadian, adding extra intrigue to their upcoming clash.
Elsewhere in the men’s draw, Novak Djokovic continues to defy Father Time. The 38-year-old Serbian legend advanced to his record-extending US Open semi-final by defeating Taylor Fritz for the 11th consecutive time, maintaining a perfect 11-0 record against the American. Djokovic celebrated his victory with a special dance inspired by the movie "KPop Demon Hunters"—a tribute to his daughter Tara’s eighth birthday. Reflecting on his performance and the celebration, Djokovic explained, “My daughter is a huge fan of the Netflix smash hit film, so I had to do something special for her.”
Djokovic’s path doesn’t get any easier, as he now faces Carlos Alcaraz in what promises to be a blockbuster semi-final. Alcaraz, the reigning Wimbledon champion, has been in scintillating form, setting the stage for a potential third consecutive Grand Slam final showdown between himself and Sinner. However, Djokovic has made it clear he’s not ready to cede the spotlight just yet, declaring, “I have some plans to disrupt.”
On the women’s side, Amanda Anisimova scripted a stunning redemption story. Just 53 days after suffering a 6-0, 6-0 defeat to Iga Swiatek in the Wimbledon final, Anisimova turned the tables in front of her home fans at Flushing Meadows, defeating Swiatek 6-4, 6-3 to reach her first US Open semi-final. The American’s resilience and determination have captured the imagination of the crowd, and she now faces two-time champion Naomi Osaka for a place in the final.
Osaka, who returned to the sport just 18 months after giving birth to her daughter Shai, has been on a remarkable comeback run. She defeated Coco Gauff in the last-16 and Karolina Muchova in the quarter-finals, marking her first Grand Slam semi-final appearance in four years. Speaking about her journey, Osaka said, “Maybe I’m crazy or something, but I always feel like you have to imagine it, and then you have to believe it for it to actually come true.”
The women’s semi-final between Osaka and Anisimova promises to be a highlight, with both players seeking to cap off their respective comebacks with a spot in the final. Osaka, the 2019 and 2020 US Open champion, is aiming to reach her first Grand Slam final in nearly five years, while Anisimova is looking to continue her fairytale run in front of a passionate New York crowd.
As the 2025 US Open heads into its final stretch, the tournament has delivered a blend of historic milestones, emotional comebacks, and riveting matchups. Sinner’s pursuit of back-to-back US Open titles and a place among the sport’s greatest hard-court streaks remains one of the most compelling storylines. With Djokovic, Alcaraz, Auger-Aliassime, Osaka, and Anisimova all vying for glory, tennis fans are in for a thrilling conclusion at Flushing Meadows.
With semi-final showdowns set and records on the line, the drama at the US Open is far from over. All eyes will be on Sinner and Auger-Aliassime as they battle for a place in the final—and perhaps, for a new chapter in tennis history.
