Sinner and Popyrin will face off at midnight on 29/8 Hanoi time.

Their only previous encounter saw Popyrin victorious in the second round of the 2021 Madrid Open. Then a qualifier, Popyrin upset the 14th seed Sinner 7-6, 6-2.

However, Sinner has since transformed into a different player. In the intervening four years, the Italian has claimed four Grand Slam titles, four Masters 1000 titles, and the world number one ranking. He and Carlos Alcaraz are widely considered a cut above the rest of the field.

Sinner hits a backhand against Kopriva in the first round of the US Open at Arthur Ashe Stadium, New York, on 26/8. Photo: Reuters

Sinner hits a backhand against Kopriva in the first round of the US Open at Arthur Ashe Stadium, New York, on 26/8. Photo: Reuters

This dominance was evident in Sinner's first-round demolition of Vit Kopriva, 6-1, 6-1, 6-2. In 36 matches this season, the 24-year-old has won 22 sets by a score of 6-0 or 6-1. This is unsurprising, as Sinner is known for his ruthless approach, even against lower-ranked opponents.

Sinner's impressive form has drawn comparisons to the "Big 3" in Grand Slams, having reached the final in his last four appearances, starting with his US Open triumph last year. Should he reach the final in New York again, Sinner would become the fourth player after Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic to reach five consecutive Grand Slam finals in the Open Era.

This is a realistic prospect if Sinner avoids the physical issues that forced him to retire from the Cincinnati Open final against Alcaraz a week ago. This year, Sinner has reached the final in five of the six tournaments he has entered, the exception being the Halle Open. His last pre-final exit on hard court came at the Canadian Open in August 2024.

Popyrin likely needs a miracle to defeat Sinner in their upcoming match. However, he produced just that 12 months ago at the US Open, upsetting Djokovic in the third round. Another factor in Popyrin's favor is his strong record against top-10 players, winning seven of his last 10 such matches.

Popyrin (right) shakes hands with Djokovic after defeating him in the third round of the US Open last year. Photo: Reuters

Popyrin (right) shakes hands with Djokovic after defeating him in the third round of the US Open last year. Photo: Reuters

Currently ranked 36th in the world, Popyrin has a 16-18 record this year. The 26-year-old endured a slow start to the season, losing seven of his first nine matches. Overall, Popyrin's form has been inconsistent since winning his first Masters 1000 title at the 2024 Canadian Open.

Other seeded players in Sinner's section of the draw also face tough tests against in-form opponents. Karen Khachanov faces Kamil Majchrzak, whom he defeated in the fourth round of Wimbledon, while Denis Shapovalov takes on French prospect Valentin Royer. Later matches see Stefanos Tsitsipas face Daniel Altmaier in a battle of one-handed backhands, and Alexander Zverev play the powerful Jacob Fearnley.

Notable second-round matches at the US Open today:

Vy Anh