Australian Open: Jannik Sinner crushes home hopes to set up semi-final with Ben Shelton
Italian defending champion will face stubborn American 21st seed while world No 2 Iga Swiatek is on track for her first title in Melbourne
Defending champion Jannik Sinner shattered home hopes on Wednesday by crushing Alex de Minaur in a straight-sets rout to set up an Australian Open semi-final against Ben Shelton.
The Italian world No 1 showed no signs of the illness that hampered him in his last match to emphatically fly past the eighth seed 6-3, 6-2, 6-1 on Rod Laver Arena.
He will meet stubborn American Shelton for a place in Sunday’s final against either 10-time champion Novak Djokovic or second seed Alexander Zverev.
Sinner is bidding to defend a grand slam title for the first time after beating Daniil Medvedev in the final last year, and is also seeking to become the first Italian man to win three grand slam crowns.
Shelton, seeded 21, battled past another Italian, the unseeded Lorenzo Sonego, 6-4, 7-5, 4-6, 7-6 to make the Melbourne Park last four for the first time.
And imperious five-time grand slam champion Iga Swiatek edged closer to a first Melbourne crown with a ruthless 6-1, 6-2 victory over American eighth seed Emma Navarro in gusty conditions, setting up a semi-final against Madison Keys.
