Sinner crushes Shelton to set up final against Zverev

A winning semi-finalist at a Grand Slam being asked about thoughts on the other upcoming semi-final in the on-court interview often elicits vanilla responses.

- HT Correspondent

MUMBAI: Alexander Zverev, though, knew exactly what was going to happen. "Ben is going to serve 240kph, and Jannik is going to return that serve like it's coming at you with butterflies."

The German wasn't off the mark in giving a sense of the picture and the climax, even if the characters did not fully play their role.

Ben Shelton did thunder down the fastest serve of the night (223kph), yet won just 57% of points on his first serve and 46% on the second. Jannik Sinner had greater numbers on both (75% and 63%). With Sinner outshining Shelton on the first strike, which is the young American's most potent weapon, the contest was pretty much headed one way.