As much as any top player, Sinner has been able to expose De Minaur’s lack of first-strike weaponry. The Aussie’s strength is his scrambling and counterpunching, but Sinner serves too well, hits too hard, places the ball too precisely for his defense to be effective. De Minaur hasn’t found a way to hurt, rattle, of disrupt him.

The defending champion starts the game by nailing an overhead volley and a thumping serve down the middle finishes it off. Alex de Minaur needs an almighty comeback with Sinner dominant and just a set away from the semis. Jannik Sinner will serve for the second set.