It seems like Jannik Sinner can’t catch a break after all on the ATP tour. With its hectic scheduling, it can get worrisome for players who are trying to make a comeback after sitting out due to injury. Sinner, who faced flak for skipping the Olympics due to tonsillitis, had a decent outing at National Bank Open but hip continues to bother him. “Never what you want to see”.

Well, it looks like the Italian will have to battle through the pain for some more time as his struggles continue in Cincinnati. Sinner, who didn’t enter Cincinnati with high hopes, managed to reach the semis where he faces Alexander Zverev.

Early into the match, Jannik lost his serve and it’s advantage Zverev right at the start of this engaging contest. It was during the middle of the first set that the hip started bothering Sinner and he appeared to be in pain from what the visuals showed.

Even during change-over, Sinner was seen doing a handful of exercises to continue playing.

While no medical assistance was asked, Sinner continues to battle through the pain and somehow managed to get the break back and equal the score at 6-6.

For Jannik to have any chance of making it to the final, it’s important that he wins the first set in the tie-breaker and puts pressure on Alexander Zverev.

In a tie-break that had everything involving a rain delay, Sinner managed to get the better off Zverev in the narrowest of margins as he sets himself on the right foot to enter the finals of the Cincinnati Masters.

Second set, on the other hand, went quite close till the very end but it was the German who landed the final blow on Sinner by breaking his serve in the 12th game. Jannik, on the other hand, looked all over the place in the final game and it remains to be seen if his hip can handle the pressure.

In the deciding third set, both players put up a gritty display of tennis as Cincinnati fans relish every single minute of this see-saw battle. It’s evident by now that Sinner is battling hard with his body and it won’t be a surprise if he pulls out from the final even if he manages to notch up a win here.

With neither of the players refusing to give up, the result is dependent on yet another tie-breaker and considering how the first-set breaker went, it’s advantage Jannik.

Fresh Update as of 19 August: In what can only be considered a gritty and relentless display of tennis, Jannik Sinner battles past health issues to defeat 2021 Cincinnati champion Alexander Zverev 7-6 (11-9) 5-7 7-6 (7-4) in a match that lasted for three hours seven minutes. Also, the Italian managed to reach his first-ever final at the Cincinnati Masters.

“It was a tough match, a very exciting match,” the Italian said after the match. “We played in different conditions: sunny, rain and then night. There was a lot of tension for both of us. I’m very happy with my performance and happy to be in the final.”

Asked later about the hip issue, he said: “Sometimes I feel it. I have to check after this tournament here. I haven’t had too much time to recover before coming here. I’m not worried yet. I’m happy to play.” Hip pain aside, there was a secret weapon in Sinner’s arsenal. Turns out, it’s a tool we can all use to pave our way forward.

Here’s the edge that won it for Sinner

We’ve all questioned that inner voice when self-doubt creeps in. Sometimes we heed its call, other times we dismiss it. But for Sinner, trusting his gut proved to be a game-changer. Despite the physical pain, his intuition propelled him to his first Cincinnati final and fifth Masters 1000 championship match.

“Sometimes you have to play a bit with the gut feeling. And I think this today was my strength,” Sinner said in his on-court interview. “We had some ups and downs over three hours. I couldn’t have played a better match than this to prepare,” he further added, looking ahead to the start of the US Open in eight days.

Sinner’s victory solidified his position at the pinnacle of men’s tennis. His reign as world No. 1 will extend to at least 16 weeks, ending at the end of September. This impressive stint will elevate him to a tie with Daniil Medvedev for the 18th-longest No. 1 run in ATP history. With Mats Wilander holding the 20-week record, the Italian has set his sights on the next milestone.

Sinner, fresh off his grass-court title in Halle just two months ago, will contest a rare Monday final against either Frances Tiafoe. As the thriller gets over, it remains to be seen if Sinner is willing to take the risk of getting injured by playing the finals or rest himself just in time for the US Open. “If I’m going to win bigger matches, I have to be more in shape,” as Sinner himself admitted.