Sinner Lays Down Powerful Marker As Alcaraz Labours

Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz remain on course for a scintillating semi-final showdown at Wimbledon but the Italian will be happier with his work on the middle Sunday at SW19 as the pair moved just one step away from renewing a rivalry that could well define the next decade of men’s tennis.

- LIKE BAKER

While Alcaraz was toiling away on Centre Court, being pushed by the relentless Ugo Humbert before escaping with a four-set win, Sinner was swatting away a potentially dangerous foe in Ben Shelton on No 1 Court with remarkable ruthlessness.

Shelton has arguably been the busiest man at Wimbledon this week, with his first three matches in the men’s singles draw all going to five sets, while he has also been playing doubles alongside Mackenzie McDonald. The 21-year-old American, who burst on to the scene with his run to the semi-finals at last year’s US Open, is a ball of energy around the court and showed no ill effects from his punishing schedule, but Sinner largely outclassed him in a 6-2 6-4 7-6 (11-9) win that took just over two hours.