NEW YORK — Jannik Sinner defeated his biggest challenger for the US Open title on Wednesday evening by beating Daniil Medvedev 6-2, 1-6, 6-1, 6-4.

This was only a quarter-final, but the world number 1 and the world number 5 were the only two major champions left in the draw. None of the other three semi-finalists have reached a major final; none are in the world’s top 10.

With Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz gone, Sinner seized his chance to move closer to winning a second Grand Slam title on Sunday in the absence of his two biggest rivals. In his first match of the tournament, he came out of the blocks flat, trailing world number 140 Mackenzie McDonald by a set and a break, who still looked distracted by the anti-doping ruling against him announced the week before the tournament.

Since then it has been all about the world number 1. He came back from Medvedev in a thrilling match in the second set and defeated him.

Early in the match, the head-to-head between the two players followed a strange pattern. Medevdev, last year’s finalist and 2021 champion, won the first six meetings. Sinner then won the next five, before Medvedev regrouped with a win at Wimbledon in July. That match went to five sets, just like their Australian Open final in January, so everyone in Arthur Ashe Stadium was bracing for a long match. These two know each other’s games inside and out.

Jannik Sinner will face Jack Draper in the semi-finals. (Al Bello / Getty Images)

In that Wimbledon encounter, an ailing Sinner had allowed himself to be dragged around the court by Medvedev in a manner reminiscent of some of those earlier clashes. Determined to prevent the same from happening on Wednesday, he began playing with great purpose, nearly breaking in the very first game. Medvedev loves to confuse players in his web of mixed speed and spin, but Sinner is so fast and has so much firepower that he could end rallies before his opponent could bend them to his will.

At the same time, Medvedev knew he had to try to get on the front foot, as he did in Australia when he won the first two sets. Playing aggressively comes with risks, and the Russian was caught off guard by errors when he tried to get too close to the lines. Sinner broke for 2-1, and he made Medvedev uncomfortable in most of his service games in the first set. After fending off a couple of break points on his own serve, Sinner broke again and then served the ball out.

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In between, the duo produced some brilliant tennis. Medvedev won a 24-shot rally in the fifth game, only to be outplayed by Sinner’s ridiculous speed and defensive skills on the next point. Both men forced each other to hit harder, and the crowd roared in amazement as Medvedev sprinted after a drop shot and slammed away a backhand winner on his next stroke.

Sinner had a break point in the first game of the second set, but he couldn’t take it. Medvedev took the break himself in the next game, and after winning two more exciting games, he was suddenly 4-0 up.

Medvedev had earned the turnaround by playing closer to the baseline, and winning the crowd over with some gutsy drive volleys. When Sinner tried to exploit Medvedev’s deep return position with a serve-and-volley play and then a drop shot, the Russian adjusted and stepped up to close down those angles.

Despite having game or break points in four of the five games, Sinner was 5-0 down. A few games later it was a one set draw, the first two sets had flown by in 75 minutes. It was a match played at a breathtaking pace and the question was who would flag.

Daniil Medvedev continues to face Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic in Grand Slams. (Kena Betancur/AFP via Getty Images)

Medvedev was the one who retired in Melbourne after a gruelling race to the final, but he didn’t have the miles in his legs this time. Sinner hadn’t been tested much in the tournament so far either, but he has been struggling with a hip injury since April. Medvedev moved him from side to side as much as possible and would have been aware that Sinner’s five-set record is a blot on his game, with six wins and nine losses.

Sinner knew that too and at the start of the third set he tried to reduce the points. He came to the net five times in the first few games, won every point and immediately broke through for a 3-0 lead. Medvedev was suddenly besieged and his focus disappeared, Sinner rattled through the set for the loss of just one game. Medvedev had at that point in the match had received break points in nine of his 11 service games.

After three one-sided sets, a thrilling battle broke out in the fourth, as Medvedev raised his game again. In the second game, Medvedev hit a forehand that Sinner answered with a backhand half-volley from close to the baseline into the open court, underlining the astonishing level of these two players when they were at their best. Medvedev even had break points at 3-2, but he couldn’t convert them. Sinner broke in the next game and that was all there was to it.

Considering what was at stake, this has to rank as Sinner’s best, or at least most significant, performance since beating the same opponent in the Australian Open final eight months ago. It wasn’t a perfect performance, but the way Sinner handled himself after the win in the final stages, rather than waiting for Medvedev to make mistakes, showed why he is the world number one.

For Medvedev, this is another tough defeat to swallow, for a player who consistently faces one of the three better players than him at the sharp end of the Grand Slams. It is the fifth time in the sixth majors that he has been beaten by one of Sinner, Alcaraz or Djokovic.

The last four times, the man who beat Medvedev went on to win the title. Sinner will take nothing for granted in a tournament defined by surprises, but he will be a heavy favorite against his good friend and recent doubles partner Jack Draper on Friday, and again in the final on Sunday if he gets there.

With Djokovic and Alcaraz out, this is a golden opportunity for the Italian to win his second Grand Slam title.

(Top photo: Kena Betancur/AFP via Getty Images)