Sinner makes semis, boosts No.1 bid

Jannik Sinner took a step closer to reclaiming the world No.1 ranking with a comfortable victory over Ben Shelton in the Paris Masters quarterfinals on Friday, setting up a clash with reigning champion Alexander Zverev.

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The Italian powered to a6-3, 6-3 win over his fifth-seeded opponent and will next face Zverev, who saved two match points to beat Daniil Medvedev 2-6, 6-3, 7-6 (7/5), in the semifinals.

Sinner, looking to take advantage of rival Carlos Alcaraz's shock second-round loss to Cameron Norrie, extended his winning streak to 24 successive matches on indoor hard courts.

Sinner will usurp Alcaraz at the top of the rankings by winning the title at the La Defense Arena.

“At the moment I’m not thinking about the ranking,’ he said.

“Tt all depends on how I’m playing. We go day by day, every day you have very difficult challenges coming up”

He has now won seven successive matches against the powerful Shelton since losing their first meeting in Shanghai in 2023.

The 24-year-old is targeting his fifth title of the season after last weekend adding the Vienna Open trophy to his Australian Open, Wimbledon and China Open triumphs from earlier in the year.

Sinner has won his last three meetings with Zverev.