Sinner downs Draper in ' very physical match' to reach 1st career U.S. Open final

There they both sat in the second set of their U.S. Open semifinal on a humid afternoon Friday, simultaneously receiving treatment from trainers: Jannik Sinner got his left wrist massaged after falling during a point he managed to win; Jack Draper needed medical attention after vomiting twice.

The top-ranked Sinner, a 23-year-old from Italy, who was exonerated in a doping case less than a week before play began in New York, was the better player throughout and finished off a 7-5, 7-6 (3), 6-2 victory over Draper to reach his first title match at Flushing Meadows — and second at a Grand Slam tournament his year.

"It was a very physical match, as we see," said Sinner, who is a righty but uses both fists for his backhands and kept flexing his left wrist after it got hurt. "I just tried to stay there mentally."

It hearkened back to when Pete Sampras lost his lunch during a win over Alex Corretja during the 1996 U.S. Open — and created, to say the least, an unusual scene Friday at Arthur Ashe Stadium, where the temperature was around 25 degrees C and the humidity was above 60 per cent.

Sinner won the Australian Open in January and will seek his second major championship on Sunday against No. 12 Taylor Fritz or No. 20 Frances Tiafoe.

"Whoever it is," Sinner said, "it's going to be a very tough challenge for me. But I'm just looking forward to it."

Unbothered. Focused. Flourishing.<br><br>Jannik Sinner takes out Draper in straights to reach his maiden US Open final! <a href="https://t.co/0K1LtTgT2p">pic.twitter.com/0K1LtTgT2p</a>

Word emerged last month that Sinner failed two drug tests eight days apart in March but was cleared because he said the trace amounts of an anabolic steroid entered his system unintentionally via a