Sinner Advances to Paris Semis, Cramping Concerns Persist

Jannik Sinner advanced to the Paris Masters semi-finals with a 6-3, 6-3 win over Ben Shelton and will face defending champion Alexander Zverev, who saved two match points to beat Daniil Medvedev. With Carlos Alcaraz eliminated, Sinner can reclaim the world No. 1 ranking if he wins the Paris title, and he has extended his indoor hard-court winning streak to 24 matches. The Italian has added the Vienna Open to a big season that includes the Australian Open, Wimbledon and China Open, and fellow semi-finalists include Alexander Bublik and Félix Auger-Aliassime. Despite this run of form, recurring cramping and hamstring issues — including a retirement in Shanghai and visible struggles in Vienna, where he resorted to measures like drinking pickle juice — have drawn scrutiny from fans and former players such as Steve Johnson.