Sinner stakes his claim as Open favorite

Italian ace remains relentless, while star-struck Swiatek enjoys inspired win

NEW YORK — Jannik Sinner never gave Christopher O'Connell, his third-round opponent at the US Open on Saturday, even a moment to contemplate pulling off the sort of monumental upset that eliminated Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz.

"It shows that this sport is unpredictable. Whenever you drop a little bit of your level — if it's mental, if it's tennis-wise or physical — at the end, it has a huge impact on the result," Sinner said. "Both opponents who they lost against, they played some incredible tennis. And it happens."

Not to the No 1-ranked Sinner, who is suddenly the favorite to win the men's championship at Flushing Meadows. He won the first five games, and 21 of the first 29 points, to make quite clear how things would go at Arthur Ashe Stadium, before wrapping up a 6-1, 6-4, 6-2 victory over O'Connell in under two hours.