Defending US Open champion Jannik Sinner has effortlessly brushed aside Australian Alexei Popyrin 6-3, 6-2, 6-2 to make the third round of the Grand Slam and send out an ominous warning to his title rivals in New York.
The metronomic world number one, looking to become the first man to retain the trophy at Flushing Meadows since Roger Federer won the last of his five crowns in 2008, was expected to face a tricky test against a tenacious opponent on Thursday, local time.
"Obviously, I try to play the best tennis I can," said Sinner, who plays Canadian 27th seed Denis Shapovalov in the next round.
"The first round matches are always different compared to the further you go (in the tournament). I'm very happy that I managed these matches as good as I could, when you are up two sets and a break, you try to serve as best as you can.
"Today it felt like neither of us served well, but I was returning well, especially on the second serve. I'm happy about today. I'm aiming to improve on the serve but the rest (of my game), I'm quite comfortable with."
But Popyrin, who arrived at Arthur Ashe Stadium hoping to knock out the holder for a second successive year after toppling Novak Djokovic 12 months ago, landed in a world of trouble early on when Sinner forged a 4-1 lead with a reflexive return.
Sinner wrapped up the opening set on serve and then had the bandages on his right foot trimmed by a physio during the break, before the 24-year-old promptly resumed his mission to scythe down his 36th-ranked opponent in the second set.
The top seed forced an error from Popyrin's racquet for an early break, and although he faced some resistance while serving in the sixth game, comfortably took the second frame by trading his powerful hitting for a soft drop at the net on set point.
Popyrin's win over Sinner in their only previous meeting at the 2021 Madrid Open began to look increasingly irrelevant when he fell behind in the third, before his opponent put him out of his misery with a thunderous ace.
The usually understated Sinner, who is aiming to go level on five Grand Slam trophies with his charismatic title rival Carlos Alcaraz, will now have a day to recover and said he had a number of Italian restaurants in mind to indulge his appetite.
There are more Australians due in action on day five, with Maya Joint facing American Amanda Anasimova on Louis Armstrong Stadium in the night session.
On Stadium 17, Daria Kasatkina will take on Kamilla Rakhimova, followed by Alex de Minaur playing Japan's Shintaro Mochizuki on the same court.
Reuters/ABC
