New York: Top-ranked Jannik Sinner reached the US Open semi-finals for the first time by getting past 2021 champion Daniil Medvedev 6-2, 1-6, 6-1, 6-4 on Wednesday night.

Sinner, who took over as the title favourite after Week 1 exits by Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz, is the only man remaining in the field with a grand slam trophy. He won his first at the Australian Open in January by beating Medvedev in the final in five sets after dropping the first two.

As reflected by the accurate-as-can-be score, this match-up was unusually topsy-turvy as they took turns dominating a set at a time. First, it was Sinner who was superior.

Then that role was played Medvedev. Then Sinner regained the upper hand in the third. In the fourth, from 3-all, Sinner surged, saving a pair of break points, then breaking Medvedev to lead 5-3.

Medvedev, the 2021 champion, had defeated the Italian in the Wimbledon quarter-finals but could not crack the code this time. He did not help his own cause with 57 unforced errors.

"It was very tough, we know each other quite well," said Sinner. "We knew it was going to be very physical."

Seesaw battle

An out-of-sorts Medvedev put up more than double the number of unforced errors his opponent had in the first set, with Sinner dropping only one of his first-serve points and looking ready to cruise to the semis.

The Russian came back hard in the second set, however, going up a break with a backhand winner down the line in the second game and winning a 24-shot rally to convert on another break point chance in the fourth.

The momentum whipped back to Sinner in the next set as the Italian won the first five games straight, leaving TV commentators at a loss for words.

A close fourth set turned in the world No. 1's favour when Medvedev handed him a break with an unforced forehand error in the seventh game.

The Russian saved one match point to hold serve in the ninth game and exhorted the crowd for support as he walked back to his bench at the changeover.

However, Sinner did not have to wait long for his victory, wrapping up the match in the next game.

The Italian's triumph also means there will be a new US Open winner on the men's side, as Medvedev was the only former winner to reach the quarter-finals.

Sinner — a 23-year-old from Italy who was cleared in a doping case less than a week before the US Open started after testing positive twice for trace amounts of an anabolic steroid in March — will go up against No. 25 Jack Draper of Britain on Friday for a berth in the title match.

That day's other semi-final will be No. 12 Taylor Fritz vs. No. 20 Frances Tiafoe in the first all-American men's match-up at this stage at a major in 19 years.

The 22-year-old Draper reached his first grand slam semi-final — and became the first British man to get that far at Flushing Meadows since Andy Murray won the 2012 trophy — by overwhelming No. 10 Alex de Minaur 6-3, 7-5, 6-2.

The British hope

Draper insisted success had not come overnight.

“This is not kind of like an overnight thing for me. I've believed for a long time that I've been putting in the work and doing the right things, and I knew that my time would come,” said Draper, whose upper right leg was taped by a trainer after he felt something at the end of the first set.

“I didn't know when it would be, but hopefully from here, I can do a lot of amazing things. I'm very proud of myself.”

The 22-year-old, who had never previously made it past the fourth round of a grand slam, has won just one title on the ATP Tour and spent much of 2023 sidelined by a shoulder injury.

"Last year was a real turning point for me, when I had my injury setbacks and took a lot of time off over the summer because of my shoulder injury," Draper told reporters.

"I had to watch all these young, amazing players winning amazing tournaments. I was playing on the biggest stage in the world and I felt like I just wasn't doing enough to get to that point myself.

Draper has won all five of his matches at the US Open without dropping a set, but he said he was confident in his ability to be competitive over five sets.

"I've been feeling like a more complete player. Physically, I've always worried a little bit about playing five sets... mentally and emotionally it being too much for me," Draper added.

"I still feel like I have got so much left in my locker. It gives me a lot of peace of mind knowing that my body feels good or robust, and I'm ready to go the distance if I need to."

The Briton has played Sinner once before, beating him on grass in 2021.

Asked if those experiences would help, Draper said: "I think it helps being on court with both (Sinner and Medvedev) of them. When I played Daniil in Rome, I didn't know what to expect...

"It is tough when you play the best players, you don't know what to expect.

"You think, 'I'm going to go out there and they're going to be way too good for me'. Whereas if you put your game on the court and if you do the right things, you do get chances here and there."

With inputs from AP/PTI