After two easy victories against Vit Kopriva (ranked 89th) and Alexei Popyrin (36th), Sinner faced a tougher challenge against the free-flowing and creative style of the Canadian player. Shapovalov, ranked 29th, aimed to replicate his upset win over Sinner in Melbourne four years ago.

With deep returns and consistent groundstrokes, Shapovalov quickly broke serve to take a 4-1 lead just 15 minutes into the first set. Under the guidance of Swedish coach Mikael Tillstrom, the former coach of Gael Monfils, the left-handed Shapovalov played with tactical and technical acumen. However, at a crucial moment, Shapovalov missed a smash at 5-2, giving Sinner a chance to get back on track.

One of the match's highlights occurred with Shapovalov leading 5-3 and serving for the set. At 15-30, the two players engaged in a thrilling rally. Sinner repeatedly targeted Shapovalov's one-handed backhand. Unfazed, the Canadian hit a delicate drop shot, forcing Sinner to scramble. From a difficult position, Sinner responded with a drop shot of his own, followed by a stunning backhand lob that electrified the Arthur Ashe Stadium crowd. Despite winning the break, four double faults in the first set ultimately led to Sinner losing 5-7, the final point coming on another double fault.

Going into the second set, it seemed unlikely that Sinner would remain subdued. However, his resurgence came relatively late. In the sixth game, Sinner allowed his opponent to level the score from 40-15 to 40-40, prompting a shout from coach Simone Vagnozzi: "Come on, Jan, come on!". Sinner responded with a superb down-the-line forehand winner to hold serve, making it 3-3. The momentum shifted, and Shapovalov faltered, committing three unforced errors and a double fault in the seventh game, allowing Sinner to take a 4-3 lead.

Despite 10 unforced errors in the set, encouraged by his coaching team, Sinner tightened his game to win 6-4, leveling the match after one hour and 40 minutes.

Sinner returns a shot to Denis Shapovalov in the third round of the 2025 US Open. Photo: Reuters

Sinner returns a shot to Denis Shapovalov in the third round of the 2025 US Open. Photo: Reuters

The third set began with Shapovalov breaking serve after three errors from Sinner. The 24-year-old appeared rushed, while his Canadian opponent served well and controlled the pace, taking a 3-0 lead. At this point, Sinner encountered a minor setback: his shoelace broke, requiring a change of shoes. This seemed to awaken the reigning champion. Despite continued serving struggles, Sinner held his serve, narrowing the gap to 1-3.

He persisted, capitalizing on opportunities to break back, bringing the score to 2-3. As Sinner regained his first-serve rhythm, his game flowed smoothly. He leveled at 3-3, earning encouragement from Vagnozzi: "Come on, this is the real you!". Capitalizing on three double faults from Shapovalov in a single game, Sinner surged ahead to 4-3 and then 5-3. With a string of six consecutive game wins, the northern Italy native clinched the third set 6-3.

From there, Sinner dominated, taking complete control of the match. He started the fourth set strongly with a break, leading 3-0, rediscovering his first serve and moving towards a decisive service game. Sinner's first-serve winning percentage in this set reached 83%. A dramatic moment arose when Shapovalov had a break point opportunity, but Sinner's coaches, Vagnozzi and Darren Cahill, urged him on. He saved the break point, earned match point, and closed out the match 6-3. A hard-fought journey, but one that continues.

After the match, Sinner commented, "It was a really tough match. We’ve known each other for many years and played a long time ago. Both of us have improved a lot. I knew I had to play well. He started strong, but I stayed mentally tough and waited to see what would happen. I’m happy with the win."

This victory extends the world number one’s unbeaten streak on hard courts at Grand Slam tournaments to 24 matches. "The draw opens up a bit in the second week and I’m still here," Sinner said. "I’m just focused on the next match. It's going to get tougher and tougher, physically and mentally. I'm happy to be still in it. New York is a special place for me. This is where I played my first Grand Slam main draw. I don't need to say more, just listen to the crowd here, it's the biggest stage in tennis."

In the fourth round, Sinner will face either 14th-ranked American Tommy Paul or 24th-ranked Alexander Bublik of Kazakhstan.

Hoang Thong