World number one Jannik Sinner crushed Felix Auger-Aliassime 6-0 6-2 to cruise into the Cincinnati Open semi-finals.
Auger-Aliassime had won both their previous encounters in 2022, and Sinner appeared to take exception to this as he quickly set about rectifying his record against the Canadian.
The Italian, who has won four Grand Slams since the pair last met in a match at this tournament three years ago, picked apart the game of Auger-Aliassime as he took the first set in just 27 minutes.
A stunned Auger-Aliassime served back-to-back double faults to concede an opening set in which he only managed to win nine points.
The world number 28 finally got on the scoreboard when a Sinner double fault – after which the 23-year-old Wimbledon champion was seen briefly walking in gingerly fashion – handed Auger-Aliassime the first game of the second set.
That was followed by Auger-Aliassime holding serve for the first time to go 2-0 up, but the two-game run was as good as it got for the 25-year-old as his opponent swept through the rest of the set.
“I felt like I was returning very well,” said Sinner. “That was my key point, which gave me the confidence to serve well.
“I had a small drop in the second set when he broke me. I’m happy I broke him back quite early. I felt like I was performing some great tennis.”
Sinner will face Terence Atmane next after the French qualifier stunned seventh seed Holger Rune with a straight-set victory.
The 23-year-old beat the Danish world number nine 6-2 6-3.
Left-hander Atmane, who is ranked 136th in the world, is the first qualifier to reach the men’s Cincinnati last four in 10 years.
“I don’t think any words can describe how I feel right now,” said Atmane, who had won just one of four tour-level matches this year before the Ohio tournament.
“[Reaching the semi-finals] is also a lot of money for me, so it’s going to be very helpful for my career. It means a lot to me. I’m very emotional about it.”
Also on Thursday, American Ben Shelton continued his strong run of form with a 6-4 6-4 win over Czech Jiri Lehecka to reach the quarter-finals.
Fifth seed Shelton, 22, will take on third seed Alexander Zverev in the last eight.
The 28-year-old German, like Shelton, has yet to drop a set in the tournament.
