Sinner powers into Vienna final with Djokovic-like consistency

In the echoing confines of Vienna‘s Stadthalle, Jannik Sinner dismantled Alex de Minaur with a 6-3, 6-4 semifinal victory, his baseline power carving through the Australian’s frantic defenses on the slick indoor hard courts. The top seed arrived unbeaten in sets at the Erste Bank Open, his serve unscathed by break points through the first three rounds, and though de Minaur clawed back twice to break, Sinner reset without hesitation, turning the match into a display of unrelenting control. This triumph extends his indoor hard court winning streak to 20, propelling him toward a potential repeat of his 2023 title here.

Sinner absorbs breaks with tactical poise

De Minaur entered carrying a stark 0-11 head-to-head deficit, yet he ignited the contest by forcing Sinner into longer rallies, his speed scrambling back crosscourt darts and inside-in forehands that tested the Italian’s depth. The Australian’s serve faltered under the surface’s pace, claiming just 52 per cent of first-serve points, which handed Sinner an early break on his initial return game and allowed deep, angled returns to jam the server’s rhythm. Even after losing serve twice, Sinner countered with one–two combinations—serve deep to the body followed by down-the-line backhands—that pinned de Minaur deep, his composure transforming setbacks into setups for dominance.

The crowd’s murmurs swelled with each extended exchange, sensing the psychological edge as Sinner varied his underspin on second serves to disrupt de Minaur‘s aggressive returns, keeping points short when needed and extending them to exploit fatigue. This mental fortitude, honed through a season of majors and mandatory events, prevented any real momentum swing, with the Italian’s flat forehands finding lines that the Australian’s retrievals couldn’t fully neutralize.

JANNIK. BUILT. DIFFERENT.

Sinner clinches his 20th straight indoor hard court win to reach his 8th final of the season! @ErsteBankOpen | #ErsteBankOpen | @janniksin pic.twitter.com/3c17dnXQkL

— ATP Tour (@atptour) October 25, 2025

Eighth final revives Djokovic’s shadow

By securing this spot, Sinner notches his eighth final of 2025, the first such mark in back-to-back seasons since Novak Djokovic in 2015-16, a feat that underscores his evolution amid the grind of 10 tournaments played, with only Halle and Shanghai escaping his reach. His 16-4 lifetime record at the Erste Bank Open speaks to how these courts amplify his penetrating groundstrokes, minimizing errors on the low-bouncing surface while his sharper net approaches and slice returns add layers to his arsenal. Titles at the Australian Open, Wimbledon, and Beijing already crown the year, but this Vienna run carries extra weight in the ATP Year-End No. 1 presented by PIF race, where Carlos Alcaraz holds firm control.

The 24-year-old’s path forward hinges on Sunday’s final against either second seed Alexander Zverev or fourth seed Lorenzo Musetti, both familiar foes on a stage where Sinner’s inside-out forehands could exploit openings in their games. As the Stadthalle’s lights dim on the semifinals, the air thickens with anticipation, Sinner’s focus sharpening for a clash that could narrow the gap at the top and etch another chapter in his relentless ascent.