Jannik Sinner swats Ben Shelton aside to set up Australian Open final clash with Alexander Zverev

Jannik Sinner fought through an attack of cramp to subdue his explosive young challenger Ben Shelton in three sets and keep his Australian Open title defence on the road.

Sinner’s semi-final ended in a rout, as he won 12 straight points shortly before completing a 7-6, 6-2, 6-2 victory in two hours and 36 minutes. But there was further evidence that his health has been a concern as his legs locked up on him in the third set.

Shelton may have looked naive at times, especially when failing to make Sinner move in those late stages. But he also impressed with the way he attacked throughout the opening set.

He had the chance to serve for that set, and stood one point away on a couple of occasions. But Sinner is the champion here for a reason. His ability to strike the ball near the lines on those big points, while maintaining a margin of a foot or so for safety, is what pulled him through this entertaining contest.

Sinner had been suffering from an unspecified health issue earlier in the tournament, especially when he needed medical attention during his fourth-round win over Holger Rune.

This is probably the reason for his cramping issue, but he now has another day off before a men’s final that will see him face Alexander Zverev: a player who has beaten him four times in their six previous meetings.

11:33 AM GMT

Sinner’s match point

11:25 AM GMT

Game, set and match Jannik Sinner – 7-6, 6-2, 6-2!!!

Sinner starts the game in style with an ace before seeing a backhand fall wide.

Shelton then gets to 15-30 after another Sinner error but makes up for it with a decent serve that leaves Shelton outstretching.

Sinner serves to the Shelton backhand and draws another error and that is that! Game, set match, Sinner!

11:19 AM GMT

Sinner 7-6, 6-2, 5-2 Shelton* (*denotes server)

Two Shelton errors gift Sinner a 0-30 lead.

The American tries to switch things up with an approach shot to Sinner’s backhand but the Italian passes with ease and breaks to love!

Sinner will serve for a place in his second Australian Open final when we resume.

11:17 AM GMT

Sinner* 7-6, 6-2, 4-2 Shelton (*denotes server)

Sinner, like Shelton at the end of the second set, had the trainer out massaging both quad muscles at the break.

The Italian, who looks revitalised, races to a 40-0 lead and sees out the game in style with a clean backhand winner down the line.

11:12 AM GMT

Sinner 7-6, 6-2, 3-2 Shelton* (*denotes server)

Shelton throws in a couple wild backhand errors to give Sinner an opening at 15-30. The American eventually gets to 30-30 before Sinner gets a look at a break point that Shelton saves with a huge serve out wide.

A 19-shot rally on the second deuce point sees Sinner limping again after pushing a backhand long! Shelton is unable to close out the game though after putting too much on a forehand.

The American then double faults to gift Sinner another break point and the Italian takes full advantage! 3-2 to the top seed.

11:05 AM GMT

Sinner* 7-6, 6-2, 2-2 Shelton (*denotes server)

Shelton races to a 0-30 lead after seeing Sinner hit back-to-back forehand errors. Italian then sees Shelton make an unforced error to go 15-30.

Then come more break points, as Sinner limps away from his towel box. The Italian saves both, first with a huge serve down the T and then a violent forehand down the line.

Good hold in the end from the Italian.

10:57 AM GMT

Sinner 7-6, 6-2, 1-2 Shelton* (*denotes server)

Shelton wins the opening point after drawing a backhand error from Sinner.

There is huge reaction from the American as he goes up 30-15 and then again at 40-15 as he looks to get the crowd involved with a lovely angled forehand.

This is more like it!

10:54 AM GMT

Sinner* 7-6, 6-2, 1-1 Shelton (*denotes server)

Shelton wins the opening point before Sinner punishes him in a brutal baseline exchange to go 15-all.

The American then sneaks ahead again to go up 15-30 before a fun exchange sees the Italian win the point to go 30-30. And then comes a break point for Shelton that he sees pass him by thanks to a backhand error.

Sinner than cleverly plays a forehand in behind Shelton to bring up game point but the American is able to win the point with some good front-foot play. Sinner eventually sees out the game to draw level in this third set.

10:47 AM GMT

Sinner 7-6, 6-2, 0-1 Shelton* (*denotes server)

Shelton, who received a massage from the physio at the end of the second set, holds to 15.

The American looks more energised than he did at the end of the previous set which you hope is a good sign!

10:43 AM GMT

Sinner takes the second 6-2!

Sinner serves out the game and with it takes the second set 6-2.

As much as the Italian has upped his level, there is no doubt Shelton’s level has dropped.

Sinner has been faultless in so many departments, winning 94 per cent of points behind his first serve. The Italian, astonishingly, only lost one point behind his first serve in the entire second set.

10:39 AM GMT

Sinner 7-6, 5-2 Shelton* (*denotes server)

Shelton eventually holds after saving a set point.

Sinner deserves credit for the way he has been able to completely nullify the Shelton serve. The Italian is reading it so well which is putting pressure on the American who to his credit has only hit two double faults. Sinner, on the other hand, has not hit any.

10:34 AM GMT

Sinner* 7-6, 5-1 Shelton (*denotes server)

Sinner holds to 15. The world No 1 has held his serve with ease in this second set unlike the first.

Shelton seems to have lost his spark that saw him cause the Italian all kinds of problems in the opening exchanges.

10:29 AM GMT

Sinner 7-6, 4-1 Shelton* (*denotes server)

After going 30-0 up Shelton throws down two double faults. He then finds a huge first serve to go 40-30 before Sinner draws an error to take the game to deuce.

Shelton fires a forehand down the line that is too hot for the Italian to handle and eventually closes out the game to get on the board for the first time in this second set.

10:25 AM GMT

Sinner* 7-6, 4-0 Shelton (*denotes server)

The Italian holds to love.

Shelton looks like a completely different player from the one we saw in the first set.

10:21 AM GMT

Sinner 7-6, 3-0 Shelton* (*denotes server)

Shelton wins the opening the point after Sinner hits a forehand error. The American then follows up with an ace, his third of the match, but Sinner sticks around and gets back to 30-30.

The Italian is reading Shelton’s serve so well which is giving him so many opportunities early on in this second set. Sinner breaks again after drawing another error from the American.

10:16 AM GMT

Sinner* 7-6, 2-0 Shelton (*denotes server)

Sinner eventually holds to consolidate the break.

Shelton got to deuce from 40-15 down before getting a break-point look. The American looked set to win the point after dictating play from the baseline but sees his forehand drift wide.

Both men are playing such physical tennis.

10:08 AM GMT

Sinner 7-6, 1-0 Shelton* (*denotes server)

Sinner breaks immediately!

Tricky game for the American to start this second set. After racing to 40-15 lead, Sinner pegs his way back to deuce. The Italian continues to draw more errors from Shelton who runs out of ideas at the end of a gruelling game.

10:00 AM GMT

Sinner takes the first set 7-6!

Sinner races to 3-0 lead after a couple wayward Shelton forehands. Those set points from the previous game look to be on the mind of Shelton.

The American eventually gets his first point at 5-1 and then his second to go 5-2.

Sinner has the opportunity to serve out the set which he does 7-2.

The world No 1 shows why he is so hard to beat, finding a way to secure the first set after a slow start! Set two should be interesting.

09:52 AM GMT

Sinner 6-6 Shelton* (*denotes server)

Nice serve out wide from the American to get things started. Sinner then levels at 15-15 after letting an overhead bounce before putting it away. Shelton approaches the net and is passed as Italian sneaks a forehand down the line.

Fantastic body serve gives Shelton his first set point that Sinner saves after the American nets a forehand.

A lovely forehand dropshot-approach brings up another set point for Shelton but he is unable to take it after going long with a forehand.

Sinner then gets a look at a break point but is unable to take advantage but does not have to wait too long for his second one which he does take. Tiebreak we go!

09:43 AM GMT

Sinner* 5-6 Shelton (*denotes server)

Shelton comes out on top after a long rally that Sinner was dictating from the baseline. The Italian than sees a forehand drift wide and goes down 0-30 before Shelton nets a forehand.

The American gets a look at two break points though after some uncharacteristic unforced errors from Sinner. And Shelton breaks!

The American will serve for the first set when we resume.

09:39 AM GMT

Sinner 5-5 Shelton* (*denotes server)

Pressure on Shelton as he must hold to stay in this first set. The American does not seem fazed, however, as he replies with a love-hold of his own to go five-all.

09:35 AM GMT

Sinner* 5-4 Shelton (*denotes server)

Backhand error from Shelton sees Sinner take the opening point. The Italian then steamrolls through the game, serving three consecutive aces to hold to love and retake the lead in this opening set.

The Italian leads the ace count 3-1!

09:33 AM GMT

Sinner 4-4 Shelton* (*denotes server)

Intelligent serving from the American allows him to comfortably close out the game. A variation of unreturned serves and clinical serve-volleying sees Shelton hold to 30. 4-4!

09:28 AM GMT

Sinner* 4-3 Shelton (*denotes server)

Shelton sprays a forehand out wide to give Sinner the opening point of the game. Shelton then sees the Italian net a forehand to go 15-15 then gets a look at a Sinner second serve that he is unable to make any advances on. A net cord then gives Shelton the point at 40-30 but Sinner holds to go ahead again.

09:23 AM GMT

Sinner 3-3 Shelton* (*denotes server)

Shelton rushes the net at 15-15 to take a 30-15 lead. The American then fires down a well-placed 173kmh serve out wide to go up 40-15 before Sinner gets to deuce after two quick points. Sinner has been getting a good read of the Shelton serve which has put the American under some early pressure.

Sinner then gets the better of the American in a 22-shot rally to bring the game back to deuce before getting another look at a break point which is well saved by Shelton who scoops a lovely angled forehand.

There have been some superb rallies early on. Sinner is dictating but Shelton is hanging in there and comes up with a magical dropshot to save break point. The American does eventually hold after a game that lasted over eight minutes.

09:12 AM GMT

Sinner* 3-2 Shelton (*denotes server)

Sinner starts the game with a 200kmh ace! Then gets involved with a long rally at 30-0 that Shelton wins after the Italian sees hits a forehand out. Sinner than wrong-foots Shelton with a nice forehand down the line to go 40-15 but gives away another cheap point, this time with a backhand that sails long.

Another long rally sees the Italian come out on top and take the game and the lead for the first time in this match.

09:08 AM GMT

Sinner 2-2 Shelton* (*denotes server)

Shelton, showing off his all-court game, takes a 30-15 lead before Sinner claws his way back to 30-30 following a Shelton forehand error.

The American then sees a backhand sail long to give Sinner a look at another break point. The Italian does not let the opportunity pass and draws level. 2-2!

09:02 AM GMT

Sinner* 1-2 Shelton (*denotes server)

Sinner looks to get on the board, finding his spots with three well-placed serves that Shelton can only block back.

Good hold from the Italian who holds to love.

09:00 AM GMT

Sinner 0-2 Shelton* (*denotes server)

Sinner looks to break back immediately after going up 15-30. Shelton replies with a well-placed serve out wide.

Italian then gets his first look at a break point but is unable to take it after some good defence from Shelton.

The American eventually holds to consolidate the break!

08:52 AM GMT

Sinner* 0-1 Shelton (*denotes server)

Shelton wins the first point of the match with a clean forehand winner down the line. The American then goes 30-0 up as Sinner hits a forehand long.

Two break-point looks for Shelton as Sinner nets a routine backhand.

Shelton breaks with a fine 160kmh forehand pass!

08:47 AM GMT

Coin toss

Sinner won the toss and elected to serve which makes sense considering he is going up against one of the biggest servers in men’s tennis.

08:46 AM GMT

Coaching teams in their designated booths

Both Sinner and Shelton’s coaching teams are in place in the court-side coaching booths.

08:39 AM GMT

Players are walking out

Jannik Sinner and Ben Shelton are making their way to court!

The American walks out first, with his headphones on, and is followed by the Italian. Both players look relaxed.

08:35 AM GMT

Men’s doubles finalist Patten and Heliovaara bond over reindeer stew

After fighting through to the doubles final of the Australian Open, Britain’s Henry Patten and his Finnish partner Harri Heliovaara revealed that they had bonded over reindeer stew.

Simon Briggs has more here.

08:32 AM GMT

Mixed doubles title decided in all-Australian final

08:26 AM GMT

Shelton speaking out

The Australian Open was plunged into further controversy after Ben Shelton became the latest player to criticise “disrespectful” television interviewers.

After Shelton reached the semi-finals, he concluded his news conference by saying: “One thing that I just want to say before we’re done: I’ve been a little bit shocked this week with how players have been treated by the broadcasters.”

Read more here.

08:13 AM GMT

Djokovic booed by some following his retirement

Novak Djokovic was booed off the court on what could potentially be his last visit to the Australian Open, after retiring from his semi-final against Alexander Zverev at the end of the first set. Simon Briggs has more here.

08:05 AM GMT

Morning all

Good morning and welcome to coverage of the second Australian Open men’s semi-final between the world No 1 and defending champion Jannik Sinner and American world No 20 Ben Shelton.

Sinner is enjoying a 19-match winning streak on hard courts at the grand slams after winning the title here in Melbourne 12 months and then going all the way in New York at the US Open last summer.

The Italian has enjoyed a fairly routine passage to his second consecutive Australian Open semi-final. His biggest test came in the fourth round against Holger Rune. Sinner needed four sets to get past the Dane and admitted after that he was not in the best condition physically. There were no signs of any physical troubles in his quarter-final match against home favourite Alex de Minaur, the top seed winning 6-3, 6-2, 6-1.

Shelton also has fond memories of Australia. The big-serving American made the quarter-finals on his debut in 2023 and has not looked back. The 22-year-old, who has reached a career-high 13th in the world rankings, will compete in his second grand slam semi-final after making the last four in New York two years ago.

The charismatic lefty has spent more time on court than Sinner but has got through matches in equally impressive style. All of Shelton’s matches, apart from his first-round win over fellow American Brandon Nakashima, have gone four sets. The pick of the bunch was the quarter-final against Lorenzo Sonego that required Shelton close it out in clutch fashion in tiebreak.

Sinner leads the head-to-head 4-1 but Shelton can take some solace in the fact that he beat the Italian in their first ever meeting in 2023.