Sinner waltzes into Vienna semi-finals

VIENNA (AFP) – Top seed Jannik Sinner brushed aside Alexander Bublik to progress to the Vienna ATP semi-finals on Friday.

Sinner made it three from three in Austria since retiring injured from the Shanghai Masters earlier this month with a 6-4, 6-4 win over the eighth-seeded Russian-born Kazakh.

Sinner, seeking his fourth title of 2025, will face third seed Alex de Minaur in the last four after the Australian beat Matteo Berrettini 6-1, 7-6 (7/4) in his last eight test.

Four-time Grand Slam champion Sinner said: "It is a tough, tough matchup. I am very happy.

"I tried to return as many balls as possible, I felt he was serving great today.

"He is a very dangerous player but I tried to stay as solid as possible, so I am very happy."

ZVEREV SEALS ATP FINALS SPOT

Twice ATP Finals champion Alexander Zverev booked his place in the season-ending championship after progressing to the semi-finals of the Vienna Open on Friday, marking his eighth qualification in the past nine seasons.

Zverev secured his spot for the Turin event after Dutchman Tallon Griekspoor withdrew from their quarter-final clash in Vienna, where the German world number three is seeded second.

Zverev, who finished as runner-up at the Australian Open in January, joins Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner and Novak Djokovic as the first four players to qualify for the event, which runs from November 9-16. Four spots are up for grabs.

The 28-year-old has enjoyed success at the ATP Finals, lifting the trophy in 2018 and 2021. He also reached the semis in 2019 and 2024. His only absence from the tournament since 2017 came in 2022, when a serious ankle injury sidelined him for much of the season.