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Sublime Sinner stops De Minaur and surges into semis
Defending champion Jannik Sinner dismissed eighth seed Alex de Minaur 6-3, 6-2, 6-1 to reach the Australian Open semi-finals and extend the country's decades-long wait for another homegrown singles winner at the Grand Slam on Wednesday.
Italian Sinner, whose Grand Slam breakthrough came in last year's tournament at Melbourne Park, will take on American 21st seed Ben Shelton with his sights set on a third major trophy after also lifting the U.S. Open title in September.
Defeat extinguished local favourite De Minaur's ambitious bid to end Australia's 49-year wait for a men's champion since Mark Edmondson's triumph but fans at a packed Rod Laver Arena gave him a standing ovation for his valiant effort.
"I feel like today I was feeling everything," Sinner said.
"When you break so early in each set it's a bit easier. But he's a tough competitor, an amazing player. So many people came here for him tonight, but it was an amazing atmosphere.
"We know each other quite well. We played so many times, we know each other's game so we try to prepare in the best possible way. These matches can go quickly, but things can change fast."
De Minaur had a mountain to climb from the start, with the 25-year-old needing a maiden victory over Sinner in their 10th meeting to become the first man from his nation to reach the Melbourne semi-finals since Lleyton Hewitt two decades ago.
The early exchanges were encouraging and resembled a game of pinball with some big baseline hitting from both players, before Sinner broke for a 3-1 lead that laid the platform for the 23-year-old to clinch the opening set.
Sinner showed no signs of the illness that made him struggle in his last match as he broke early in the second set, hitting a spectacular swatted crosscourt forehand winner along the way to leave his opponent looking a little demoralised.
"Yesterday was an easy day, I played just 30-40 minutes with my coaches (in practice)," Sinner said.
"They gave me a good rhythm. I feel when you're young, you recover fast. It's a bit different. I really like to sleep, so I rested in the best possible way to recover and try to be ready."
De Minaur responded positively to earn a break point but top seed Sinner slammed the door shut and left the Australian with a quizzical look at times, as he comfortably doubled his advantage in the match on the back of flawless serving.
There was no looking back for Sinner when he breezed through the first three games of the third set playing lights-out tennis and he quickly wrapped up the match, finishing it off with one final break of serve.
Shelton battles past Sonego; enters semis
American Ben Shelton wore down Italian Lorenzo Sonego 6-4, 7-5, 4-6, 7-6(4) in a highlight-laden clash at the end of the day session to reach his first semi-final at the Australian Open on Wednesday.
Shelton, who will meet the winner of Jannik Sinner and Alex De Minaur for a place in the final, ensured the United States has players in the men's and women's semis for the first time since Andy Roddick and Serena Williams in 2009.
Shelton, the 21st seed, is the last American in the men's singles draw, having carried on after the third round exit of US Open runner-up Taylor Fritz and the quarter-final exit of 12th seed Tommy Paul.
Donning a white headband and a technicolour outfit, 22-year-old Shelton brought a matching attitude to centre court as he yelled his way to victory in the first two sets and often cheered Sonego's mistakes.
Unseeded Italian Sonego mounted a spirited fightback to push the game deep into a fourth set but faltered in the tiebreak.
Shelton wrapped up the match with a booming crosscourt forehand and high-fived his ecstatic father-coach Bryan Shelton, a former ATP title-winner.
"I feel relieved right now. Shout out to Lorenzo Sonego -- that was ridiculous tennis," said Shelton.
"It was one of the favourite matches of my career."
