Jannik Sinner broke his losing streak against Alexander Zverev with a hard-fought 7-6 (11/9), 5-7, 7-6 (7/4) victory on Sunday, earning him a spot in the final of the Cincinnati Open. Sinner, the world number one, had previously lost four out of five encounters with Zverev, with his sole victory coming at Roland Garros four years ago.

The grueling match, which lasted over three hours not including a rain delay, was marked by tight exchanges and high tension. The first-set tiebreaker was interrupted for nearly 30 minutes due to a passing shower, adding another layer of challenge to a tournament already affected by poor weather.

Sinner saved two set points in the first-set tiebreaker before finally clinching it on his third chance. However, Zverev fought back in the second set, recovering from an early break and breaking Sinner again in the 12th game to level the match.

The decisive third set went to a tiebreaker, where Sinner built a 5-2 lead and secured the victory on his second match point.

Reflecting on the match, Sinner acknowledged the difficulty and the variety of conditions they played under, from sun to rain to nightfall. He expressed satisfaction with his performance and his mental resilience, especially after dealing with recent physical setbacks, including a hip problem, illness, and tonsillitis, which had forced him to skip the Olympics.

Sinner will now play in his fifth career Masters 1000 final, facing either Frances Tiafoe or Holger Rune in a rare Monday final. He sees this victory as excellent preparation for the upcoming US Open, emphasizing the importance of maintaining his fitness and mental strength in the lead-up to the Grand Slam.