Sinner on the march as Swiatek, tearful Gauff toil at US Open

REIGNING men’s champion Jannik Sinner charged into the third round of the US Open on Thursday as Coco Gauff and Iga Swiatek battled to keep their title bids intact.

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Sinner swatted Australia’s Alexei Popyrin aside 6-3, 6-2, 6-2 to stretch his Grand Slam winning streak on hard courts to 23 matches.

The Italian top seed has made a convincing start in his bid to become the first man to repeat as US Open champion since Roger Federer won five in a row from 2004-2008.

“I'm very happy that I managed these matches as good as I could,” said Sinner, who dropped only four games in his opening win before blasting past the 36th-ranked Popyrin.

“I am aiming to improve on the serve but the rest | am quite comfortable with.” Sinner faces Canadian 27th seed Denis Shapovalov in the third round today.

He has reached the final of all three Grand Slams this season, winning the Australian Open and Wimbledon either side of a defeat to Carlos Alcaraz at the French Open.

Third seed Alexander Zverev cruised toa 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 win over Britain’s Jacob Fearnley, while Lorenzo Musetti eased past Belgium’s David Goffin.

Russian 15th seed Andrey Rublev beat American wild card Tristan Boyer in four sets. He advances to a last-32 tie with Hong Kong’s Coleman Wong.