Shelton 3-6 1-1 Sinner* A gorgeous lob from way behind the baseline lands just inside it at the other end, making 0-15 … for all the good it does Shelton, again sent nashing about from hither to yon as Sinner makes 40-15. But then an unforced error, just his fifth of the match, offers a sniff, and Shelton does superbly to work a lane for a backhand winner down the line, taking us to deuce. It’s a while since we’ve been here on the Italians’s serve and he’s not inclined to remain, a volley making advantage – he’s improved in that area, an ominous sign for the field – which is then converted into a hold.

*Shelton 3-6 1-0 Sinner Shelton must hold here if only to preserve the pretence that this can be a contest. And it’s quickly 0-30, but he then hangs in the next point long enough for Sinner to net, a big first serve brings parity at 30-all, and an ace sustains the fantasy.

*Shelton 3-5 Sinner Sinner is in total control of himself, which is one good reason he’s on almost-total control of this match, and he dominates the first rally of the game for 0-15, but then strays long which levels the game. No matter: an inside-out forehand arranges 15-30 … but a high-kicking second serve that has Sinner taking cover is followed by a booming first, then another service winner forces him to serve for the set.

Shelton 2-5 Sinner* Sinner’s decided to get good at touch-shots, so he has – for him, it really is that simple. Of course, he’s put in the work, but nothing one might want to do on a tennis court is beyond him, and it makes him 15-0, then a backhand winner he has an epoch to play – his anticipation is a joke – takes him to game point, and forehand into the corner as Shelton comes in, secures the hold and tells his opponent he can read him like he wrote him.

*Shelton 2-4 Sinner A backhand into the net gives Sinner 0-15, the a forehand into the net makes it 15-30. Bit by bit, the vice around Shelton’s face is tightening and a double donates two points for the double-break. The first is saved via ace – for all the first serves landed, and there’ve been many, almost all of them have come back – but another decent one goes unreturned, so to deuce we mooch. Then, as Sinner again toys with Shelton, a dad playing with his lad, the American jars a foot racing form corner to corner, but saves advantage with a big serve, then makes it himself with another, securing a crucial hold with a drop. Shelton is playing at full throttle, whereas you feel Sinner can up the intensity if necessary.

Shelton 1-4 Sinner* Sinner is one of those lads you come across in the playground who shocks you the first time you see him play football because you’d never have guessed he even liked it, never mind was brilliant at it. An ace caps a love consolidation – consolidated love, that’s a nice thought – and it’s equal parts affirming and mortifying how good the world no 2 is.

*Shelton 1-3 Sinner Sinner doesn’t have the inventive genius of Alcaraz, nor the creative temperament, but who does? He’s still got a terrific eye and imagination, dashing in for a drop that’s curling away, letting the spin take effect, then bumping it low past the net-post for a delicious winner. From 0-15, he makes 15-30 and suddenly turns up the volume, directing Shelton from corner to corner until he can’t take any more, in the process raising two break points. The first, though, evaporates with a forehand into the net … and the second when Shelton whacks one of his own close enough to the corner to be unreturnable, just. “Yes!” he shouts, because he knows he can’t be going down a break and because winning points against this tennis borg imbued with human creativity and spirit is bloody difficult, but a booming return and following forehand means it’s soon advantage Sinner … deuce restored with a terrifying serve. Every game so far has been a ruckus and this is another, another fine return helping Sinner to another advantage, and this time Shelton, again put on his bike, nets a forehand and that’s the break. I fear we’ve seen this match before, one that’s close until it isn’t, and between them, Sincaraz are devastating the morale of the entire tour, enjoying their opponent’s best before imposing the steel blanket of their own.

Shelton 1-2 Sinner* Two serves, two service winners, but then a double is followed by Shelton swatting a backhand winner cross-court for 30-all. So sinner hammers a huge delivery down the T, the American somehow stops in the point with some excellent defence de-fence, only to net once up in the rally. Oh, but a forehand return down the line, a clean winner, makes deuce … from where Sinner closes out. So far, this is a compelling contest, more than can be said for the below and belowmentioned rig. Why do they do it to him; why does he do it to himself?

*Shelton 1-1 Sinner A big serve makes 15-0, but a decent return on to the line incites a netted forehand. No matter, Shelton shows good variety in the next rally, an inside-out backhand clipping the sideline for a winner, before an ace makes 4-15. But caught at the net having not done enough with the volley, he’s passed, then a netted slice takes us to deuce, and pressure. Shelton cannot afford to be be broken in the first game; he punishes down an ace, but is immediately hauled back, then another big serve allows the clean-up forehand. Ach, but just when a fantastic serve out wide looks to have set up the point, an overhit forehand restores deuce, and Shelton, despite nailing 10/10 first serves in this game, is having to deploy his entire array of shots to hold. He makes advantage again, sends down a decent second serve with the wind behind it, and a quality return renders it useless; back to deuce we go, Sinner slowly extracting his soul, but this time, Shelton makes advantage and closes out the game. Already, this is a lot of fun.

Shelton 0-1 Sinner* (*denotes server) Sinner hooks a forehand long, a shot that looks pretty relative to the mustard trainers, olive top and white hat, shorts and socks he’s been handed – why do they continually dress him in nonsense? Why does he let them? He soon makes 30-15 and Shelton misses the chance to properly get after a short second serve … but a framed forehand sends the ball into orbit and at 30-all, he has the sniff of a sniff. And this is more like it, the American coning in off a deep forehand, and it earns him break point; here we go. Ahahahaha, but you know what’s coming next: yes, a service winner that makes it 23 out of 29 break points saved in the tournament, backed up with a succession of forehands which facilitate the overhead putaway then, when Shelton goes with a drop, but down the line, not cross, which allows Sinner to rush in and mete out forehand treatment. He’s into the match.

Righto, Jannik Sinner to serve, ready …play.

Shelton played really well against Casper Ruud in the last round. He lost the first set but was excellent thereafter … completing a challenge that in no way prepared him for the one he faces now. But it will have been good for his confidence, and he needs plenty of that here.

Out come our players; the roof will be opened.

I’m afraid we know the answer to this one.

It’s hard to argue with any of this.

Tennis is hard – a lot of repetitive practising, a lot of travel, a lot of pressure. We should be making it nice for players, not invasive.

Earlier today:

Regular readers will know we called this one. Rybakina might just have hit a new level the last few months – I can’t wait to see her against Pegula in tomorrow’s semi.

Least said.

Shelton reckons his forehand return, net play and variety from the back is much improved from last term, and he’s coming to attack. The question, I think, will be the consistency; if he serves – and volleys, and rallies – really well, he can throw hands on return. Like Wawrinka in the grand slam finals he won against Djokovic and Nadal, going for low-percentage shorts and making them, he needs short rallies and big shots. He doesn’t have Stan’s precision, but he fancies the task and has convinced himself to believe, which makes him dangerous.